The government has started an express bus service for the first time in the Kathmandu Valley. Prakash Jwala, Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport, inaugurated the fast bus service at 9AM at Shanti Batika in Ratnapark, Kathmandu on the occasion of Constitution Day.
The service is operating on the Suryabinayak-Ratnapark route. It is said that the express service buses will run for the general passengers only from tomorrow. For passengers, the express bus service will be operated only from September 21, Thursday, according to Ishwari Datta Paneru, spokesperson for the Department of Transport Management (DoTM) under the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport.
Today, Physical Infrastructure and Transport Minister Prakash Jwala, Transport Minister of Bagmati Province Laxman Lamsal, mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City Balendra Shah and mayors of Madhyapur Thimi and Suryabinayak Metropolis traveled on the express bus.
Compared to other public buses, which take around 90 minutes to travel from Ratnapark to Suryabinayak, the express bus service is expected to make the journey in just 45 minutes. Traffic police will provide assistance to the fast service buses, ensuring they avoid stopping at congested intersections like Maitighar, Koteshwor, and Jadibuti.
According to the Department of Transport Management, the express bus will charge the same fare as other public buses on the Ratnapark-Suryabinayak route.Twenty-five buses with 40 seats each have been allocated for the service, said Uddhav Rijal, director general, the Department of Transport Management. There will be bus stops at 19 different locations including Ratnapark, Maitighar, Babarmahal, New Baneshwor, Shantinagar, Koteshwor, Jadibuti, Kaushaltar, Gaththaghar, Chardobato and Suryabinayak.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rajendra Prasad Bhatt, spokesperson for the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Office, said the express bus service will operate on this lane from 9 AM to 11 AM and from 4 PM to 6 PM. During this time, public vehicles will be allowed to travel in both directions even on one-way roads.
