Once a sleepy market town in the Tarai plains, Siddharthanagar Municipa- lity is changing rapidly. A well planned transportation network, brand new airport, vibrant trade and commerce, sizzling real estate market and rapid infrastructural development have transformed Siddharthanagar into a modern industrial city.

Massive investments have been poured into the development of the city. The municipality, which hosts the birthplace of the Buddha, has observed the construction of large-scale infrastructure like an international airport, industrial corridor, trade highways and a bevy of luxury hotels. At least half a dozen five-star properties are under development.

Several infrastructure projects are being carried out in all the 13 wards of the municipality. Representatives of the local units have been making sure that the quality and standard of the infrastructure are being maintained. They have intensified their monitoring and vigilance to ensure that work is being done in the proper manner, and that the construction meets the standards.

The implementation of an integrated urban development project, initiated with Asian Development Bank funding, has transformed the town into a modern city.  

The local level elections that were held in Nepal for the first time in two decades, and which were conducted in three phases in May, June and September, have been another driving force behind the rapid infrastructure development.

“Now the daily life of the people has become easier and more comfortable,” said Phadindra Kunwar, a local of Siddharthanagar Municipa-lity. “As there are representatives in the municipality and villages, people are not facing hassles.”

Apart from the integrated urban development project, a number of annual projects have been passed by the municipal council, and they are scheduled to be completed by May next year. “We are focused on completing the development projects as soon as possible,” said Hari Prasad Adhikari, mayor of Siddharthanagar Municipality. 

He added that the municipality had categorised the development works on a priority basis that will change the face of the city within two and a half years. Proliferating factories and a rapidly spreading transportation network have turned Siddharthanagar into an economic powerhouse.

The government has also formally started work to develop the Greater Lumbini Buddhist Circuit to promote Buddhist tourism. Lumbini is a potential world-class tourist destination for 500 million Buddhists in Asia. It hosts the birthplace of the Buddha and over 100 related archaeological sites scattered within a 50-km radius.

The plan aims to foster pilgrimage tourism and offer better facilities to pilgrims to help boost tourist traffic and length of stay. In 2017, more than Rs1.78 billion was spent on urban and environment infrastructure development in the municipality.

The municipality has planned to light the highways and roads with solar lamps. Proper management of marketplaces and bus parks and a special focus on greenery projects are other plans initiated by the municipality.