The government is preparing to launch a women-only transportation initiative called the 'Blue Bus' service. First announced in March as part of a 100-point governance reform agenda, the project has now received formal financial backing in the annual budget for the upcoming fiscal year of 2026-27.

The Department of Transportation Management and Sajha Yatayat, the state-linked transport cooperative, are drafting the operational blueprint. The discussions focus on route allocation, cost management, projected ridership, and long-term sustainability.

The government's initial plan was to deploy at least 25 buses for the service within 100 days of government formation. To ensure safety, the budget speech confirmed that the vehicles would feature closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras. However, setting up the service has taken time due to operational hurdles.

Ram Hari Pokharel, spokesperson for the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, confirmed that funds have been allocated. "The Department of Transport Management and Sajha Yatayat are working on the operation modality," said Pokharel. "We are coordinating across agencies to decide who will run the buses and how to manage daily operations."

Because the department does not own a fleet, it is relying on Sajha Yatayat. Ganesh Man Singh Rai, information officer at the department, said a preliminary proposal has been sent to the cooperative to draft the operational framework.

"Since the government announced that the service will be free for women, partnering with private operators is not viable right now," said Rai, adding that because the route permit falls under provincial jurisdiction, federal authorities are also coordinating with the Bagmati provincial government.

Bhupendra Aryal, chief executive officer of Sajha Yatayat, said that an initial draft is ready, but emphasised that sustaining the service is more critical than simply launching it.

"Starting a bus service is easy, but keeping it running is the real challenge," said Aryal. "We must clarify the exact source of funding. Fuel, drivers, drivers’ assistants, repairs, and administrative overheads all require a steady budget. We need a clear procedure on how these funds will be transferred and accounted for."

Aryal also highlighted distinct practical challenges regarding gender segregation. "Families often travel together. If a husband and wife are out together, the husband cannot board this bus. It creates immediate practical problems for ordinary commuters,” he said. The government plans to run a pilot project in Kathmandu first to assess viability before extending it nationwide.

The 'Blue Bus' concept is not entirely new to Nepal. It was first introduced in 2023 by Rastriya Swatantra Party chief Rabi Lamichhane to mark his first 100 days as a lawmaker elected from Chitwan constituency No 2. The blue-painted buses provided free transport for women across Kalika Municipality, Bharatpur, and Narayanghat. However, the service came to a halt after just six weeks due to low ridership, high operating costs, and poor management. Despite that failure, the current government has revived the idea as a formal state project.

Public transport operators argue that the policy is impractical and driven more by political gimmick than real public need. Saroj Sitaula, president of the Federation of Nepali National Transport Entrepreneurs, dismissed the plan as unsustainable. "If we introduce a blue bus for women, will we next need a white bus for senior citizens and a yellow one for children? This feels like a populist move rather than a well-thought-out policy," said Sitaula.

Sitaula recalled past experiments in the Kathmandu Valley where women-only microbuses ran between Kalanki and Kandaghari for nearly five years. The service eventually closed because there were not enough exclusive female passengers on the route to cover basic daily fuel and staff costs.

Women's rights activists also question whether separate transport service for women is the correct path towards gender equity. Sarita Tiwari, an activist who monitored the initial Chitwan pilot project, said that the service overlooked how families and groups travel together.

"Women rarely travel entirely in isolation; they are often accompanied by husbands, brothers, or other family members," said Tiwari. "While it looks like positive discrimination on paper, it does not work well in practice. Our society is moving toward inclusive spaces. We should focus on coexistence, equal opportunity, and mutual respect rather than separation."

Tiwari acknowledged that women face systemic harassment and discomfort on public transport, but argued that segregation avoids fixing the core issue. "The real solution is to make all public transport safe, respectful, and accessible for women. Creating a separate bus service is short-sighted, and I do not believe it can survive in the long run."