Metro for public transportation, why not E-buses?

By Purna N. Ranjitkar

Lalitpur Metropolitan City (LMC) Mayor Chiri Babu Maharjan has urged Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) to collaborate with LMC to develop a modern mode of transport to ensure reliable solution for public transportation in the capital valley. He clearly mentioned that the Kathmandu Valley has 4 million population and metro is the real solution and modern technology for public transportation for cities where 3 million or more people reside. That can go par break even.

Speaking at a function organised recently to observe LMC’s 104th anniversary, Mayor Maharjan said “We already have around three million people living in Kathmandu and Lalitpur. If we develop a metro train to facilitate their travels, it will be cost effective. So let’s work on that and develop something new.” He further said that metro is very expensive and takes a long to construct to bring it to proper operation. However, if started now, it will be ready sooner, he emphasised.

He was not very specific, but argued that such a project would be technically viable and economically feasible for the two metropolises to jointly pursue.

Sometime in 2011, the government authorities had surfaced plan to construct 75 km metro system for public transportation in the Kathmandu Valley. Likewise, an earlier KMC Mayor also had raised voice on need of metro and monorail for the better public transportation.

However, present need, existing roads and affordability the leaders including Kathmandu Valley mayors need to consider on electric buses to bring into operation as the most reliable public transportation system.

Electric buses are available in cheaper price in comparison to metro, mono rail or bus rapid transportation (BRT). The electric buses can be plied as soon as they land at the existing roads.

Only thing most required is government policy to promote electric buses and to find modalities to support financially.

Private sector involved in public transportation can operate electric buses easily at the condition that they can make profit by operating electric buses. That means a fair amount of financial support in forms of taxes on import, subsidy on purchase and subsidy on bank interest may be the desired scopes to bring in the policies.

Presently, an electric bus for city service with around 25 seats costs around 13.5 million rupees per unit including the tax on import. On the other hand, fossil fuel run buses bigger than said electric bus can be purchased at around 6 million rupees after tax. That means a fossil fuel run bus can be purchased at paying the amount to be paid as import tax on an electric bus. Therefore, the cost of electric buses needed to be lowered to make entrepreneur friendly. Various measures may be formulated for financial supports to make them cheaper. 

Public transportation system can substitute privately owned vehicles to greater extent when it offers security, comfort and punctuality. Once government provides technical and financial supports to the entrepreneurs, they can be made bound to the user friendly norms. 

The fund may not be a big question for government to invest in the promotion of electric buses. Most viable fund to utilise is Pollution Control Fee which the government has been collecting Rs. 1.5 from use of each litre petrol and diesel from the Fiscal Year 2065-66. (Earlier the tax rate was Rs. 0.5 per litre and since 3 years has been made Rs. 1.5 per litre). The purse has been swelled to more than Rs. 19 billion as of the end of the Fiscal Year 2078-79 and not even a single rupee has been spent out of that fund which has been raised for controlling   pollution.  Moreover, a wide ranged project proposal made be developed to bring financial support from Green Climate Fund (GCF), or other global funding mechanism to support climate actions.  

Presently, Sundar Yatayat is operating 6 electric buses and Sajha Yatayat has introduced 3 electric buses in the Kathmandu Valley roads. After successful tests Sajha Yatayat had brought 37 more electric buses as per its plan while Sundar Yatayat says government support is the must to extend services which feature zero pollution and consume electricity generated in the country.

Thus, the policymakers, political leaders and professionals need to consider promotion of electric buses to address the immediate need.

Thus, concerned authorities may be advised to organise interactions and consultations with public transportation experts, electric vehicle experts, private sector entrepreneurs, electric bus suppliers and campaigners to churn out the optimised electric buses for public transportation for the Kathmandu Valley, other major cities and short and long routes connecting different places in the country.