Kathmandu Valley transport master plan proposes mass transit, tunnels and car-free zones

KATHMANDU: The draft Strategic Environmental Assessment Report of the Kathmandu Valley Urban Transport System Master Plan, jointly prepared by the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport and a team of experts from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), has been made public.

The master plan aims to develop a safe, inclusive and sustainable transport system across Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur districts through 2050. The report says the valley’s growing traffic congestion cannot be addressed through conventional road expansion alone, noting that vehicle density has reached 868 vehicles per kilometre. Average traffic speeds during office hours have fallen to 13.6 kmph in the morning and 10.6 kmph in the evening.

Mass transit and tunnels proposed along Kathmandu-Bhaktapur corridor

The master plan identifies large-scale public transport infrastructure as a key strategy for addressing the valley’s growing traffic pressure. It proposes a 14.6-kilometre east-west mass transit system, including a Metro Rail Mass Rapid Transit line, connecting Ratna Park in Kathmandu with Bhaktapur, a corridor identified as having high passenger demand. The proposed metro line would run underground through major urban areas, including the Koteshwor section.