Making public the government policies and programmes for the fiscal year 2015-2016 on Wednesday, President Ram Baran Yadav mentioned that the government would make provisions to develop infrastructure and bring policies to promote the use of environment friendly vehicles that run on electricity and solar energy.

 The policies and programme emphasises on effective implementation of the Environment-friendly Vehicle and Transport Policy 2014 which aims to add a considerable number of electric vehicles in the county’s streets. According to the plan, 20 percent of the vehicles in the country would either be electric or hybrid by the year 2020.

The  policy formulated by the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport (MoPIT) has proposed setting up 10 electric charging stations around Kathmandu’s Ring Road as pilot project. Also on the cards are setting up battery-recycling centre, plants that manufacture parts and products required for electric vehicles and developing infrastructure for bicycles, motorcycles, cars, taxis, micro and mini buses, trams, trolley and electric rails, said Tulasi Prasad Sitaula, secretary at the MoPIT.

This is not the first time the government has come up with a plan to make the country’s transportation sector environment-friendly.

Due to lack of adequate and friendly policies to encourage the use of eco-friendly transportations, the promotion of such system still remains a far cry.   

On this regard, experts lobbying for the promotion of environment-friendly transport system have written to the MoPIT calling for effective implementation of the policy by preparing a long-term action plan. They have also requested the ministry to take the initiative to re-introduce trolley buses in Kathmandu, preferably with dedicated lanes and improved services. The Clean Air Network Nepal, a non-governmental organisation lobbying for eco-friendly transport system, has submitted a letter to the concerned ministry demanding dedicated public transport routes for the operation of electric vehicles in Kathmandu Valley and in other cities.

It has asked to support national manufactures universities and research institutions for research and development and production of environment-friendly vehicles inside the country. Preparing plan for building few pilot charging stations at key feasible areas of Kathmandu Valley is also included in the agenda.

The history of electric vehicles in transport system started with the twenty-two donated trolley buses in 1975 by Chinese government along with development of the needed infrastructure. Likewise, the government introduced the eco-friendly Safa tempos in 1999.

However, the trolley bus service in Kathmandu was discontinued in 2009 while the battery-run Safa tempos are struggling to compete against fuel-run vehicles and lack of adequate charging stations.