Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation; Physical Infrastructure and Transport; and Urban Development, Kulman Ghising, has requested the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to assist in conducting a feasibility study for operating electric trolley buses along the Ring Road and major expanding highways of the Kathmandu Valley.
During a briefing on sustainable urban electric projects on Wednesday with ADB Nepal Country Director Arnaud Caucheteux and his team, Minister Ghising sought ADB’s support in implementing a modern trolley bus system.
In the meeting, Minister Ghising said:
“Road expansions are ongoing on the Ring Road, Kathmandu–Dhulikhel, Pokhara–Muglin, Butwal–Narayanghat, Butwal–Bhairahawa, Biratnagar–Dharan, and other routes. One lane of these roads can be used for trolley buses. To increase domestic consumption of electricity, we must promote electric transport systems such as trolley buses. Please support the feasibility study for operating trolley services.”
Nepal’s first trolley bus system, introduced in 1976 (2033 B.S.) between Tripureshwar (Kathmandu) and Surya Binayak (Bhaktapur) with support from the Chinese government, has been completely shut down since 2009 (2066 B.S.).
Under ADB support, a Sustainable Urban Electrification Project is being initiated to promote the use of electric vehicles for improving public transport in Kathmandu Valley, Pokhara Metropolitan City, and the Lumbini–Butwal–Siddharthanagar corridor.
The project plans to introduce 250 electric vehicles for public transportation. It will also include the construction of charging stations, maintenance and operational infrastructure, bicycle lanes, and non-motorized transport facilities connecting to bus stops.
The project concept note has already been approved, and a feasibility study is underway. The project will be implemented through concerned local governments with financing mobilized via the Town Development Fund and the Infrastructure Development Bank. In Gandaki Province, a proposal has been made to establish a Public Transport Authority for implementing the project in Pokhara Metropolitan City.
The estimated project cost is USD 160 million (approximately Rs 22.56 billion). Out of this, ADB will provide USD 100 million in concessional loans and USD 40 million in zero-interest loans, while the remaining amount will be covered by the Government of Nepal.
