KATHMANDU: A total of 28 night buses will operate on six routes in Kathmandu Valley from September 19 (Asoj 3), coinciding with Constitution Day.
A meeting chaired by Kathmandu Metropolitan City Acting Mayor Sunita Dangol on Wednesday decided to expand the existing night bus service in coordination with local governments, Sajha Yatayat and other stakeholders.
Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Lalitpur Metropolitan City, Chandragiri Municipality and Budhanilkantha Municipality have been operating seven night buses on the Nagdhunga-Airport and Lagankhel-Budhalinkantha routes since April 14 .
Under the expansion plan, four additional routes will be added, connecting different parts of the Valley. The routes and number of buses are:
- Godawari – Budhanilkantha: 6 buses
- Jagati–Ratnapark–Thamel: 6 buses
- Airport–Nagdhunga: 4 buses
- Kirtipur – New Road – Nepal Airlines: 4 buses
- Ring Road, two-way: 8 buses
With the Ring Road service in operation, passengers will be able to reach different parts of the Valley by changing buses at designated points. The maximum fare for such a journey will be Rs 80.
Acting Mayor Dangol said the expansion is being carried out based on recommendations from an expert task force. She said the service is being expanded primarily to provide convenient public transport rather than to generate profit.
The meeting also decided to continue the night bus service through financial cooperation among the local governments. The municipalities will share the operating costs based on factors such as population, area and financial capacity.
The local governments will also facilitate the required route permits and request the federal government to amend existing transport laws to make night-time route permits easier.
The meeting further decided to promote night-time urban activities by organizing festivals, fairs and other events at public spaces within the Valley. Local governments will also support the development of charging stations at destinations and management of night bus parking facilities to make the service more effective.
