Kathmandu, January 8
The government is mulling over using the road parallel to Manohara River, from Jadibuti to Balkumari of Koteshwar in Kathmandu, in its bid to ease the perpetual traffic jam at Koteshwar junction of the Ring Road.
If the plan gets implemented, vehicles coming from Bhaktapur and heading towards Lalitpur can skip the main road via Koteshwar Chok. It will also let people going towards various places of Lalitpur and Kathmandu districts, bypassing the busy junction, along roads beside Manohara and Bagmati rivers from Balkumari.
The road beside Manohara is currently in bad condition. Hence, the government has taken an initiative to improve it at the earliest, according to Muni Gautam, spokesperson of the Department of Roads.
The vehicles have to cross the river at a point between Jadibuti and Balkumari. The bridge there is weak, hence a bailey will be installed there, according to him.
Spokesperson of the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, Shiva Hari Sapkota, adds that the plan will be significant in easing the valley’s traffic woes.
Earlier, the government had proposed constructing a tunnel road under the Tribhuvan International Airport to ease the traffic jam. However, it could not be implemented as the airport did not approve citing it would keep the country’s only international airport in danger and the project was not economically feasible.
