Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: Chiribabu Maharjan, the mayor of Lalitpur Metropolitan City (LMC), has proposed that the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) take leadership in the development of a metro line in the Kathmandu Valley.
In a meeting with Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah on Friday, Maharjan said that Lalitpur would join hands if KMC takes the initiative for the development of the metro line in partnership with the federal government. “Big projects can be accomplished if there is coordination and cooperation between the two metropolitan cities in the Kathmandu Valley. KMC should take the initiative for this,” Maharjan told Shah.
Maharjan said that looking for alternatives to the metro will only result in the misuse of resources and time. “It won’t be wise to reject the proposal to build the metro line because of time and cost factors only. There is no alternative to the metro to make the Kathmandu Valley a habitable city,” said Maharjan.
Responding to Maharjan, Shah said that the metro line has become a necessity for the Kathmandu Valley. He said that the KMC will begin planned discussions for the same with other municipalities in the Kathmandu Valley. “Let’s begin brainstorming with municipalities and other concerned stakeholders,” Shah said, adding that KMC too was studying the metro line informally.
“We need to make a minimum of a 50-year plan if not a 100-year plan. Plans running two to four years can’t make a long-term impact on society,” Shah added.
Badan Nyachhyo, an engineering adviser to LMC, said that the metro line is a must to make the Kathmandu Valley a habitable city. “If we do not make a plan for traffic management now, traffic congestion will become a chronic problem after five years,” he added.
