April 7, 2012: Sajha Yatayat- former government owned bus service provider, and now a co-operative is all set to launch the bus service in Kathmandu from this Saturday, the day before New year 2070. Having bought the 16 new buses and already delivered to their premises at Harihar Bhawan- Pulchowk, Sajha Bus will be providing transportation service to commoners with two routes from 5 am to 11 pm in Kathmandu and Lalitpur. The approved two routes are one from Kalanki through Teku, Tripureshor, New Baneshwor, Sinamangal to Airport and back, whereas the other one goes from Satdobato through Jawalakhel, Tripureshor, Ratnapark, Jamal, Lainchaur, Lazimpat, Maharajganj to Gongabu Bus park and back. Sajha says eight of those buses will be run in each route and believes they have optimized the best route to ease the transportation for general People.
According to Manager Mahendra Raj Pandey at Sajha Yatayat, Chief Secretary Lilamani Paudel will be launching the service in an event this Saturday after which the buses will run along the routes in Kathmandu and Lalitpur road and the regular service from the next day: Baishak 1, 2070. He also said that around 60 people have already been recruited for Driver and Conductor in the buses.
The bus manufactured by Indian Company TATA motors, cost Rs 3.4 million (34 Lakh) each. Green Colored, Euro III emission standard bus has 54 seats and 15 standing points. With two doors, one for entrance in the rear and other for exit in the front end (both controllable by Driver), the bus will have conductor near the rear door to sell tickets which is now a paper one but they are planning to pay for the ticket through digital money (cards). Two CCTV cameras and one entertainer/informative TV screen is also fitted in the bus.
Manager Mahendra did not reveal the price of the ticket but mentioned they have complied with Nepal Government Public bus price.
Kathmandu- the metropolitan capital city with inhabitants of 1.8 Million (18 Lakhs) has big problem of public transportation and it goes bizarre especially in the office time (around 10 in the morning and 5 in the evening). Sajha believes people in Kathmandu will be relieved somewhat with the introduction of such big buses. Its better to wait for some time and get a bus than to travel congested inside a small micro bus. I say even routes in ktm that is run by private organizations should be run with big buses instead of small, uncomfortable Micro buses and tempo.
And let there be no political interference in Sajha Yatayat- the reason behind the closure of the Sajha Yatayat in 2058 B.S.
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