URBAN TRANSPORT IN KATHMANDU VALLEY:PROBLEMS AND MITIGATING MEASURES

By:Er. Bishnu Prasad Devkota

Outlines of Presentation

• Urban Transport in Kathmandu– An Introduction – Problems– Mitigating Measures

• Conclusion• References

An Introduction

Ref: July 2004, IGES (Institute for Global Environmental Strategies)

Problems

Expansion of Built-up Area in Kathmandu Valley

Land Use Change in Kathmandu Valley (Source : MoPIT/JICA, 2012

• Urban Sprawl and Rapid Population Growth

Problems Cont…

• Urban Sprawl and Rapid Population Growth– 3% of total land in 1967– 25% of total land in 2011 (Ref: IGES)

– Population 0.4 millions (1967)– 5.1 millions (2011) (Ref: CBS)

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 20100

1,000,000

2,000,000

3,000,000

4,000,000

5,000,000

6,000,000

Population of Kathmandu Valley

year

Popu

latio

n

Ref: UN, World Urbanization Prospects

Problems Cont…

• Rapid Growth of Vehicle Ownership– Till fy-2012/13 = 7 lakh vehicles

– 92% were private vehicles– 80 % were motorbikes

Problems Cont…

• Less Space for Non-Motorized Transport– Large part of walking and cycling has been

replaced by motorbikes (MoPIT/JICA, 2012)

By: Devkota, B.P., @New Road, Kathmandu, August-2014

Problems Cont…

• In-efficient and Un-reliable Public Transport– 2.5% of total vehicle fleet

27.6% of travel mode share

– lower occupancy vehicles about 94%– PT drivers practice reckless driving (CEN/CANN)

– More and more people are shifting from riding PT to cars and motorbikes.

Problems Cont…

• Lack of Proper Road Safety Measures– In Kathmandu Valley• 5000 road accidents • 150 fatalities• 400 serious injuries• 3300 minor injuries

(Ref: Metropolitan Traffic Police Division, Kathmandu-2068/69)

049/

050

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068

020406080

100120140160180

No. of Deaths on road accidents (Kathmandu)

Problems Cont…

• Air Quality and Environmental Issues– Transport sector contributing about 63% of PM10.

– Air pollution is responsible for 1600 premature death in Kathmandu Valley (MoEST 2005)

– Chronic Obstruction Pulmonary Diseases (COPD) has been steadily increasing (CEN/ENPHO, 2003)

Problems Cont…

• Lack of Coordination Among Institutions involved in road

DoR

Munici-palities

NTA

DoWSS NEA

DoTMPo

or C

oord

inda

tion

Poor

Coo

rdin

datio

n

Poor Coordindation

Poor Coordindation

By: Devkota B.P., Kupandole-Sanepa Road Link, Feb,2014

Problems Cont…

• Lack of Long-Term Vision and Plan– 20-years plan not updated

Mitigating Measures

• Conventional Approach– Infrastructure Development

• Sustainable Approach– Integrated Public Transportation (PT)with priority

over all other modes of the road– Enhancement of Non Motorized Transport (NMT)– Land Use Plan – Road Safety Measures– Transportation System Management (TSM)

Mitigating Measures Cont…

• Conventional Approach– Expansion of existing roads– Design and construction of new roads

Is this the long term solution?

Hence, No long term solution?

We Need,Sustainable Approach as

Long Term Solution

Mitigating Measures Cont…

• Enhancement of NMT– Sufficient space of side walk for pedestrians– Integrated cycle lane

Mitigating Measures Cont…

• Integrated, Prioritized and Efficient Public Transportation– Restructuring of public transport system– Development of integrated mass transit system– Enforcement of regulations and standards

Mitigating Measures Cont…

• The Push and Pull Approach

Ref: KSUT

Mitigating Measures Cont…

• Improve Road Safety– 4-Es • Engineering• Enforcement• Emergency Response• Education

• Land Use Plan– Promoting Public Space– Road route planning

Ref: KSUT

Mitigating Measures Cont…

• Transport System Management (TSM)– Trip generation– Trip distribution– Modal split– Trip assignment

AVOID• Reducing the need to travel• Transport as derived demand

SHIFT• Changing mode choice• Mass transit

IMPROVE• Increasing the energy efficiency of vehicles• Efficient Transport operations

Conclusions

• Conventional approach of infrastructure would comply as short term solution

• Sustainable approach of transportation system management would comply as long term solution

References• JICA Urban Road Development in Kathmandu Valley 1993• Urban Transport Planning by Meyer M.D. and Miller E.J.• Population Census 2011, Central Bureau of Statistics’ (CBS)• Publications of GIZ SUTP Project, www.supt.org• Ted Talk, www.ted.com• Global Status Report-2009, WHO• Lectures notes on transportation system engineering, by prof. Tom V.

Mathew• Publications from Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), july

2004• World Bank Publications• United Nations, World Urbanization Prospects

Thank . you

Questions?Suggestions