Nine Local Levels join hands to operate Night Bus Service in KTM Valley

Kathmandu: Nine local levels in Kathmandu Valley have joined hands to operate night passenger bus service for the residents of the valley.

They have committed to sharing responsibilities based on need to expand and advance the night transport service—which had been operating on a trial basis in Kathmndu since mid-April earlier this year.

Kathmandu Metropolitan City has collaborated with Sajha Yatayat to provide some respite for people who need to travel during the night. Accordingly, heads of the local levels signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sajha Yatayat on Sunday to provide convenient, safe, and reliable transport services to the general public and both domestic and international tourists traveling at night.

The local levels that signed the MoU include Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Lalitpur Metropolitan City, Budhanilkantha Municipality, Godawari Municipality, Chandragiri Municipality, Kirtipur Municipality, Bhaktapur Municipality, Suryabinayak Municipality, and Madhyapur Thimi Municipality.

Immediately following the signing of Mou, the operation of 30 buses across six routes was launched. Under the expanded service, buses will operate on the following routes: Jagati-Suryabinayak to Thamel; the existing Lagankhel-Budhanilkantha route extended to Godawari; clockwise and counter-clockwise along the Ring Road (eight buses); Kirtipur-Jamal (four buses); Takhel-Thamel (two buses); and the existing Nagdhunga-Airport route (four buses).

Previously, a pilot service was operated using seven buses on routes from Lagankhel to Budhanilkantha and from Nagdhunga to the Airport between 8:00 PM and 11:00 PM. Based on an evaluation of the service’s impact and a cost-benefit analysis, it was concluded that providing the service was more important than mere profitability.

An agreement has been reached regarding the coverage of any operational deficit—where ticket revenue fails to cover costs. The seven participating municipalities will equally bear 50 percent of the shortfall.

The remaining 50 percent will be covered based on population size by Kathmandu Metropolitan City and Lalitpur Metropolitan City, who will contribute 18.55 percent each, while the other seven municipalities will contribute 9 percent each.

The agreement stipulates that Sajha Yatayat will submit quarterly requests for funds if operational costs exceed revenue. The respective municipalities will designate passenger boarding and alighting points along the routes.

Sajha Yatayat has been entrusted with the responsibility of installing digital signage boards and establishing and operating digital bus stops at these locations by the fiscal year 2083/84. The concerned municipalities will provide the necessary land for constructing bus charging stations at the terminal points of the designated routes, while Sajha Yatayat will undertake the responsibility of installing the charging stations.

The municipalities will be responsible for the security of these charging stations. Once the transport service is available along the Ring Road, passengers will be able to reach any of the serviced locations by making a single bus transfer.

The maximum fare for such a journey will be 80 rupees. The Government of Nepal holds a share investment of 3 billion rupees in Sajha Yatayat, while the Kathmandu Metropolitan City holds an investment of 150 million rupees.

Currently, Sajha Yatayat operates a fleet of 111 passenger buses.

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