National 9 (Spotlight Weekly)

Signals Of Order

Ten important intersections in the Kathmandu valley get a face-lift

By SANJAYA DHAKAL

Heavy traffic movement and burgeoning vehicle numbers have worsened the congestion in the Kathmandu valley. With the objective to alleviate the condition and help smoothen the traffic flow, the Japanese government provided grant assistance to install modern traffic lights in 10 important intersections in the valley.

Intersections in Maitighar, Kalimati, Tinkune, Padmodaya Turning, Kesharmahal, Koteshwore, New Baneshwore, Singh Durbar, Ramshah Path and Kalanki-Chowk are now equipped with modern traffic lighting systems.

"With the installation of new traffic lighting systems, the traffic flow has been smoothened to an extent," said Surendra Bahadur Pal, Senior Superintendent of Police at the Valley Traffic Police Office.

Crowded bus : Lack of traffic knowledge

The traffic management has been facing problems not only in Kathmandu valley but other urban areas like Pokhara, Bhairahawa, Biratnagar, Birgunj as well. According to Kumar Koirala, Deputy Inspector General of Police, there are 380,000 vehicles in the country and 1253 traffic police to man them. Each traffic police has to look after 300 vehicles.

This ratio is even worse if Kathmandu valley alone is considered. Here, each traffic police has to look after 371 vehicles. Naturally, the congestion and mismanagement has been the order of the day.

Long queues, frequent jams and accidents were caused by the lack of proper infrastructures like modern lighting systems.

"To help address various traffic problems of Kathmandu, which have been adversely affecting the daily activities of the citizens as well as the urban environment, the Japanese government has extended grant assistance for the improvement of 10 important intersections in different parts of the city. We believe the improvement will provide general public with more safety, comfort while driving and also aid smoother traffic movement," said Saburo Sato, first secretary at the Japanese Embassy in Kathmandu, addressing the National Seminar on "Japanese Cooperation in Traffic and Transport Development in Nepal" jointly organized by JICA and JICA Alumni Association of Nepal.

"JICA believes that transport sector is backbone of national economy and has therefore helped in the development of this sector in Nepal," said Eitaro Mitoma, Resident Representative of JICA Nepal Office. "Apart from construction of modern lighting systems, we have also helped in developing manuals, text-books and traffic safety campaigns to raise awareness among the public about traffic discipline."

After the installation of modern system in ten intersections, the Kathmandu valley now has traffic light in every major intersections. That apart, the traffic flow is manually operated in 60 other road junctions in the city.

Of late, the traffic police has enforced measures like compulsory helmet for riders and pillion riders of motorcycles and strapping of seat-belts for four-wheelers to control injury in case of accidents. "But we still face problems like breaching of lane disciplines, which is another cause of accidents," said Pal.

Besides, the traffic police has been regularly organizing events like Traffic Week to raise mass awareness about road safety.

In the end as it is the common motorists and pedestrians who use the road, it is of utmost importance to teach them about the road safety. Teaching traffic safety to students in schools can go a long way in this regard. With the number of vehicles growing by leaps and bounds, the traffic problem in the valley is not going to be any better in the days to come. As such, authorities need to prepare long term plans to manage the traffic in future as well.