Miscellaneous
Sajha receives Rs 50m to purchase 13 buses
The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) handed over Rs50 million to the Sajha Yatayat Co-operative Limited on Tuesday for the purchase of 12 deluxe and one semi-low floor buses.The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) handed over Rs50 million to the Sajha Yatayat Co-operative Limited on Tuesday for the purchase of 12 deluxe and one semi-low floor buses. With the latest tranche, the KMC has provided Sajha a total of Rs150 million under a complementary agreement for the expansion of its services in connection with improving the public transport in Kathmandu.
KMC Mayor Bidhya Sundar Shakya handed over a cheque for Rs 50 million to Sajha Yatayat Cooperatives Limited Chairman Kanak Mani Dixit at a programme on Tuesday.
The co-operative had earlier signed an agreement with Ashok Leyland, an Indian automobile manufacturer, on June 16 to buy the buses.
Bringing into operation an environment-friendly public transport is one of the primary infrastructure needed to develop Kathmandu into a smart city that the KMC has envisaged.
Sajha Yatayat also announced free service to the elderly people above 70 and the disabled commuters beginning from Tuesday itself. Free bus service for the elderly and disabled people will be available on all the Sajha routes both inside and out of the Valley. Children under the age of five and citizens with poor identity cards are also entitled to get free rides on Sajha buses.
Sajha Yatayat has been operating the smart card system in 10 of its buses, enabling the commuters to pay their fare through a smart card. It is planning to extend the facility in other buses. The co-operative has 30 buses in its fleet. “Small vehicles with minimum seats have augmented traffic congestion in the Valley. Sajha buses with 40 seats can help the commuters as well as reduce traffic jams” said KMC Spokesperson Gyanendra Karki.