February 22, 2003
Message from Honorable Lt. Col. Narayan Singh Pun, Minister for Physical Planning and Works on the Occasion of Completion of the Project for the Improvement
of Intersections in Kathmandu City
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I am very happy to find that the improvement works on ten of the most important road intersections in Kathmandu have been completed before scheduled date. I am sure that this will open a new chapter in the friendly relation between Nepal and Japan.
The resources under our disposal do not match the needs of a typical developing country. The people of Japan have always been supportive to our causes. Japan is indeed the number one country supporting Nepal. Its support in the roads sector has been very useful, may it be the Sindhuli Road or the construction of bridges in Kathmandu Valley. Improvement of Thapathali Intersection, under a Japanese Grant Aid, has been an excellent example of a well planned road intersection. There is a strong indication that the recently improved ten intersections will follow the suite.
The policy of His Majesty's Government for the transportation sector is to minimize total transportation costs. By making the flow of traffic smoother, safe walking for pedestrian, efficient drainage system and precautionary measures giving less chance for road accidents, the improvement of the road intersections will certainly assist the governmental policy in a big way.
Being the capital of Nepal and as one of the favorite tourist destination, the mobility requirement in Kathmandu is very high. It is very important to satisfy this requirement in a way that is friendly to the users and the environment. Still the existing narrow roads allow little space for conventional improvement works. I am happy that the improvement works are designed and implemented by some of the best consulting and contracting firms in Japan. I am sure that they have improved the intersections in such a way that no major modifications will be required for many years to come.
There are countries in the world with lesser road density but with smoother traffic flow than in Kathmandu. Having good road infrastructure and adequate traffic related laws are not enough, if the road users in general are unaware of basic road behavior. This behavioral change, though difficult to achieve in a short time, is possible only when joint efforts of all the concerned is available for a long time. Experience from elsewhere however has shown that, once certain degree of the behavior is achieved, a visible ease in traffic flow and decline in road accidents could be achieved.
Moreover, during the project for improvement of intersections, many of our engineers and police personnel have been exposed to newer technologies in construction management, signal system and traffic management. This exposure will enable us not only to maintain the system but also build similar system in the future. The training component of this project will increase the degree of awareness among the road users and enhance the absorptive capacity of the technologies used.
It is a policy of His Majesty's Government to involve the local bodies, community based organizations and the private sector in development projects. The project has obtained an active support from the Kathmandu Municipality Council from the very inception. Similarly, the efforts of schools and the civic society in raising the awareness level of the road users have been noteworthy.
I am hopeful that the continued support of the government of Japan will enable us to improve other road intersections and transport related infrastructure to make travel here smoother, faster and accident free.
Thank you.
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