17 New High-tech, Low Emission Buses Begin Services in Kathmandu

Seventeen new high-tech, low-emission buses have been added to the Gongabu – Sinamangal route in Kathmandu, as a part of the initiative of ADB Kathmandu Sustainable Urban Transport Project. The buses will replace the 26 microbuses and 35 tempos operating on that route. The buses have been introduced to help reduce congestion and pollution in the city.

ADB Kathmandu Sustainable Urban Transport Project has been promoting the use of low-emission vehicles and aiding in improving the mass transport in the city.

The bus service is run by a private company that was formed by the owners of microbuses and the tempos.

According to the project director, Ananta Acharya, the owners of the aging microbuses who had to shut down their service for the new buses are shareholders of the new company and they will get regular dividends.

Passengers can use a card to pay their bus-fare while traveling on these buses. According to a press release, the total cost of the project is 22.37 million US dollar; the government has provided 7.9 million US dollar.

The capital for the project was provided by the government-managed Town Development Fund financed by ADB, grants from the Global Environment Facility, and equity financing from the company itself.