March 24, 2016: Sajha Yatayat, the co-operative for public transport is known to add 30 new buses in Kathmandu. Currently Sajha is running 16 buses in Kathmandu city with four routes, which is known to extend to more destinations inside the city with the new buses. Sajha and Ashok Leyland have signed an agreement to procure those buses, with the support of Kathmandu Municipality. It is known that the buses will start plying in Ktm roads within 4 months from today itself. I believe that the current problem of urban public transport (especially in office time) will be solved with the addition of such buses. Recently Mahanagar Yatayat, a private transport investment gained popularity among Kathmandutians with 39 buses around ring-road and the route or bus expansion to follow next.
It was in Baishak 2070 (around 2 years ago) that Sajha buses were relaunched in Kathmandu with 16 buses, after massive political interference led closure in 2058 B.S. As the buses were operated even in the strike / crisis period and can carry around 100 people at a time, this service aided in reducing the urban transport problem for such huge population in Kathmandu. The four operational routes are from Airport to Tripureshwor to Kalanki and Lagankhel to Ratnapark to Narayan Gopal Chowk to New Bus park and the return path for both route. As people were demanding the bus service in different parts of Kathmandu, Kathmandu Municipality had decided one year ago to add some more buses in Sajha Yatatyat.
The new buses are known to be same size whereas it will be incorporating more no of passengers as the standing space will be more due to lesser no of seats (2 seats on either side). As told earlier by Sajha head Mr. Kanak Mani Dixit, the new buses will be disable friendly which will be a great step for the development of public transport service in the capital city.
