Kathmandu: Nine local governments in the Kathmandu Valley have joined forces to run night bus services. They signed an agreement with Sajha Yatayat on Constitution Day.

The night service began as a trial on 1st Baisakh led by Kathmandu Metropolitan City. It ran only seven buses, from 8 pm to 11 pm, on two routes: Lagankhel to Budhanilkantha and Nagdhunga to the Airport.

Now the service is growing. Thirty buses will run on six routes. The aim is to give late night travelers a safe and reliable ride, including workers, business owners, patients going to hospitals and tourists.

Kathmandu and Lalitpur metropolitan cities signed the agreement along with Budhanilkantha, Godawari, Chandragiri, Kirtipur, Bhaktapur, Suryabinayak and Madhyapur Thimi municipalities. Sajha Yatayat chairman Sushilraj Pyakurel signed for the bus company.

The new routes are:

  • Jagati to Thamel via Suryabinayak: 6 buses
  • Lagankhel to Godawari, extended from the old Budhanilkantha route: 6 buses
  • Ring Road, in both directions: 8 buses
  • Kirtipur to Jamal: 4 buses
  • Tokha to Thamel: 2 buses
  • Nagdhunga to Airport: 4 buses

Kathmandu’s acting mayor, Sunita Dangol, said the city will keep expanding the service as part of its effort to improve basic services for citizens. Lalitpur Mayor Chiribabu Maharjan said local governments started this project because the federal government has not come forward with a metro plan for the valley.

If ticket sales do not cover the running costs, the local governments will pay the gap. Half will be shared equally among them. The other half will be split by population, with Kathmandu and Lalitpur paying 18.55 percent each and the others 9 percent each. Sajha Yatayat will ask for the money every three months.

Each local government will pick the stops where passengers get on and off. Sajha Yatayat must set up digital bus stops with display boards at these places within the 2083/84 fiscal year.

Passengers can change buses along the Ring Road to reach any place the service covers. The highest fare for such a trip will be Rs 80. To stop money from going missing, Sajha started digital ticketing on 1st Asoj. People can pay by QR code or in cash.

The Nepal government holds Rs 3 billion in shares in Sajha Yatayat, and Kathmandu Metropolitan City holds Rs 150 million. The company now has 111 buses.