A year since the Gorkha earthquake

April 24, 2016: It has been a year that the mega Earthquake (epicenter Gorkha) on Baishak 12, 2072 shooked us, destroying peoples livelihood and infrastructures, that took lives of thousands of people and tens of thousands were injured. It was a massive disaster here in the central hilly regions of Nepal including 14 districts (From Gorkha to Sindhuli), destroying many heritage sites including  http://pinkberrylicious.blogspot.com /2015/06/my-fascination-with-dharahara-with.html" target="_blank">Dharhara Tower (9 storey), Basantapur Temple. People were bound to live outside their homes for months due to the collapse of their homes or serious devastation or the fear from recurring aftershocks.

A year on since the earthquake, there has no major changes to the lives of those who are living in temporary shelters nor the reconstruction of the heritage sites has begun yet. New constitution has been promulgated, New government has been formed, but the misery of the people remains the same. We even have gone through the months long barricade in the border between Nepal and New York, that seriously downgraded the already slowed economy and the daily lives were badly affected due to shortage of essential supplies. 

Even now, there is no concrete implementation way forward to make any better for the huge no of earthquake affected people. Blame the opportunistic politics for the benefit of ones and their circum around (be it their relatives or the political party itself), Blame the bureaucracy (permanent government) that cannot get rid of long procedural delays and unmanageable human resources, and even blame peoples indifference to the misery of the affected people that they could not adequately pressurize their government for immediate reconstruction.

I may not be hopeful for what will be done immediately but I definitely wish for a much better and prosperous Nepal, that i could possibly see in my life.

There is no any mere issue that make me feel proud of my Government. If none of them shall do it, I wonder what should we prefer: the system, the party or the leader. In democracy, we always choose the better among the worsts. Me await new election.

A brick shows that Dharhara was built in 1991 after the major Earthquake in 1990.

Sajha Yatayat to add 30 new buses

March 24, 2016: Sajha Yatayat, the co-operative for public transport is known to add 30 new buses in Kathmandu. Currently Sajha is running 16 buses in Kathmandu city with four routes, which is known to extend to more destinations inside the city with the new buses. Sajha and Ashok Leyland have signed an agreement to procure those buses, with the support of Kathmandu Municipality. It is known that the buses will start plying in Ktm roads within 4 months from today itself. I believe that the current problem of urban public transport (especially in office time) will be solved with the addition of such buses. Recently Mahanagar Yatayat, a private transport investment gained popularity among Kathmandutians with 39 buses around ring-road and the route or bus expansion to follow next.

It was in Baishak 2070 (around 2 years ago) that http://pinkberrylicious.blogspot.com /2013/04/sajha-bus-launches-in-kathmandu-with.html" style="background-color: yellow;" target="_blank">Sajha buses were relaunched in Kathmandu with 16 buses, after massive political interference led closure in 2058 B.S. As the buses were operated even in the strike / crisis period and can carry around 100 people at a time, this service aided in reducing the urban transport problem for such huge population in Kathmandu. The four operational routes are from Airport to Tripureshwor to Kalanki and Lagankhel to Ratnapark to Narayan Gopal Chowk to New Bus park and the return path for both route. As people were demanding the bus service in different parts of Kathmandu, Kathmandu Municipality had decided one year ago to add some more buses in Sajha Yatatyat.

The new buses are known to be same size whereas it will be incorporating more no of passengers as the standing space will be more due to lesser no of seats (2 seats on either side). As told earlier by Sajha head Mr. Kanak Mani Dixit, the new buses will be disable friendly which will be a great step for the development of public transport service in the capital city.