Chiribabu Maharjan Proposes Free Night Bus Service in Kathmandu Valley
Chiribabu Maharjan, Mayor of Lalitpur Metropolitan City, has proposed making night bus services in the Kathmandu Valley free of charge. He suggested that the cost be shared among all 18 local levels in the valley, with Kathmandu and Lalitpur metropolitan cities ready to bear a larger share.
Kathmandu — Chiribabu Maharjan, Mayor of Lalitpur Metropolitan City, has proposed making the night bus service operating in the Kathmandu Valley free of charge. He made this proposal while speaking at the 'Kathmandu Valley Night Bus Service Expansion' program.
He emphasized that the night bus service should be free, targeting laborers and low-income groups who use public transportation at night.
Maharjan proposed that the cost of operating night buses should be shared among all 18 local levels in the Kathmandu Valley. He stated that Kathmandu and Lalitpur Metropolitan City are ready to bear a comparatively larger share.
He suggested setting a specific 'cutoff date' while keeping the current break-even status of the night bus service unchanged for now. He proposed announcing free night bus service starting from Baisakh 1 (mid-April) or another suitable date. He claimed that implementing such a system would bring significant change in the public transportation sector.
Maharjan noted that since metro rail operation may take a long time, emphasis should be placed on managing and expanding the night bus service as an alternative for public transportation until then.