The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) is planning to build an underpass in New Baneshwor and two overhead crossings in Chabahil and Gaushala to ease traffic congestions in the Capital city.

“We have decided to prepare a detailed project report,” said KMC Mayor Bidya Sundar Shakya, adding that alternatives to zebra crossings in those busy crossroads are high on the metropolis’ agenda as “we have been swarmed with complaints from locals in those areas”.

The metropolis, which had earmarked Rs50 million last year to build overhead bridges in these areas, has been consulting with the Department of Road (DoR) on the matter, according to Shakya.  

This is the second time that the metropolis has come up with a new infrastructure plan aimed at mitigating traffic congestions in the Capital city, especially during the peak office hours. 

The KMC had come up with a plan to build an overhead crossing in New Baneshwor two years ago. But the plan was shelved due to security concerns as the proposed structure was considred close to the International Convention Center that housed Constituent Assembly and Parliament.

“That’s why we are planning an underpass in New Baneshwor,” clarified Shakya. Should the plan takes shape, it will be a second underpass in the Valley. An 800-metre underpass is being built at Kalanki under the Kathmandu Ring Road Improvement Project. However, that is only possible when the metropolis works together with the DoR, according to KMC officials. “Because the budget required for the project is simply beyond KMC’s means,” said Shakya. 

There are 10 overhead bridges in the city now, after demolishion of two bridges in Kalanki and Kamalpokhari a year ago. But these structures at Bir Hospital, Sundhara, and Ratnapark areas—built between 1998 and 2000—are in dilapidated condition due to lack of maintenance. Structural engineers say they are in urgent need of repair.

“We have already given the instruction to repair the old bridges,” said Shakya. The metropolis had handed those bridges to the private company Innovative Concept Nepal in 2000.