Kathmandu. Kathmandu: Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Devendra Dahal has said the time has come to take decisive steps for the management of transport in the Kathmandu Valley.

Kathmandu Valley is the federal capital and a region of cultural diversity and prosperity, he stressed the need to make the transport management here easy and convenient.

At a meeting of stakeholders on strategic environmental assessment of The Kathmandu Valley Urban Transport system master plan project held in Lalitpur on Sunday, he said the Kathmandu Valley, comprising Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur districts, is the center of nepal’s economic, cultural and administrative activities, but the transportation system here is under a lot of pressure.

Minister Dahal said that since the latest master plan prepared in 2012 and updated in 2017, the condition of transport has worsened significantly and serious traffic jams, delays and air pollution have increased due to increasing vehicles, unsystematic urbanization and inadequate infrastructure. He said that there should be no delay in its management as it is affecting not only daily transport but also economic productivity and public health.

“If we don’t take decisive action even now, the situation will worsen, which will jeopardize the livability and sustainability of the Valley,” he said. This project may be our last opportunity to find short- and long-term solutions. ’

On the occasion, Minister for Forest and Environment Ain Bahadur Shahi said the ministry was ready for cooperation and coordination for transport management in the Valley. Secretary at the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure, Keshav Kumar Sharma, stressed the need for multilateral coordination for sustainable, safe and inclusive transportation for the vibrant and cultural Kathmandu Valley.