Kathmandu Metropolitan City has announced ambitious plans to develop Kathmandu as a smart city with all amenities and services of international standards.

Presenting KMC’s policy and programme in the first municipal assembly today for the forthcoming fiscal 2017-18, Mayor Bidya Sundar Shakya said vertical and underground parking systems would be developed to end parking woes in Kathmandu.

The parking systems will help maximise the number of parking spaces and minimise land usage. He also announced that KMC would introduce a provision of electronic parking meter system instead of pay parking to  control rowdyism.

KMC has already initiated the process of constructing a multi-storey parking in New Road. Mayor Shakya informed that KMC was conducting a study on the construction of underground parking lots in Khula Manch and Lainchour. Similarly, the metropolis has outlined its plan to construct 50 smart and electronic public toilets within a year.

In e-toilet, insertion of coins opens the door of the toilet for the user, and even directs the concerned user with audio commands about facilities and services it is equipped with. Such toilets are disabled-friendly and automatically flush after certain minutes of usage. Plans are afoot to import hi-tech fire engines for all wards of KMC and to develop it as a ‘no-mask city by mitigating environmental pollution and health hazards associated with it.

KMC is also planning to promote technology-based billboards while developing a mobile app to handle complaints and grievances of service-seekers in an effective manner, said Shakya. According to the policy and programme, the metropolis will simplify the existing Electronic Building Permit System and conduct feasibility study for the development of metro rail, monorail, trams and cable cars to upgrade the urban transport system.

“In addition, we are mulling over the possibility of operating monorail from Budhanilkantha to Godavari in association with Lalitpur Metropolitan City,” Shakya said, adding that bicycle lane would be developed along the greenbelt of Ring Road, and the banks of the Bagmati and Bishnumati rivers. KMC has also plans to develop and issue taxpayer cards.

The municipal assembly was inaugurated by CPN-UML Chairperson KP Sharma Oli as its chief guest. He urged elected representatives of KMC to work for the betterment of Kathmandu and its denizens.

source: the himalayan times, 15 july 2017