Sumitra Shah, 46, who has been running a juice shop in front of Bir Hospital complains of a sharp drop in the number of customers in the past month due to a strong stench of a leaking drainage.

As the area is engulfed in a foul smell emitted by drained water, pedestrians and patients walking from New Road gate to Bir Hospital building, and traffic police working in the area face a difficult time.

Doctors and staff at the Trauma Center and Bir Hospital also complain of the bad smell.

“It is really shameful that concerned authorities have not solved this problem even after a month. It is hard for us to even walk on the road,” said one of the doctors working at the hospital.

 Even though Kathmandu Metropolitan officials are well informed about the issue, Shah said no one has come to solve the problem. “Wearing a mask also does not help,” she said.

A traffic police in the area complained of his uniform being occasionally soaked with the drained water. “The drainage has been leaking for over a month and it is even difficult to just stand and coordinate the traffic here,” he said under the condition of anonymity.

Drainage has been particularly leaking from the Military Hospital, which lies right in front of Mahankal Temple and is undergoing re-construction post earthquake, locals said.  

“If it is leaking from our compound, we will soon coordinate with concerned authorities to  solve the problem,” assured spokesperson of Nepal Army Jagdish Chandra Pokhrel.

However, Uttar Kumar Regmi, administrative officer at KMC said he is not aware of the problem. He added that it is the duty of Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited (KUKL) to look after the issue. “It is KUKL’s duty to maintain the drainage because they have taken extra money from customers for it’s maintenance,” said Regime.

But KUKL claims it falls under KMC’s jurisdiction to maintain the drainage system inside the Valley.