Urban development: challenges, opportunities

By TNW correspondent

Urban development appears to have been suffering most because of the misunderstanding among government and local bodies, say experts.

Urban development, they assert, is a priority agenda for the country because 66.17 of population (2078 B.S. census) live in cities. Most of them do not have access to basic urban amenities and infrastructure related to health, drinking water, transport, drain, waste management, heritage protection, communication, energy, education and market.

They point out the problems local municipalities face while undertaking urban development works. “Sometimes, it is the electricity authority that stands in the way. At other times, the department of road creates difficulties. The offices of drinking water, telecommunications, heritage, and forest also intervene from time to time.”

As a result of the conflict among various authorities, urban development works are compelled to remain mostly incomplete or orphaned or half-done or redundant. Evidences to this effect could be found, seen or felt in major municipalities in the country including 5 metropolitan 11 sub-metropolitan cities, and 276 municipalities.

A simple measure of coordination among the conflicting offices could tackle the problems, opine administrators. “For this, the urban development works should not be politicized or viewed from partisan interest. Planning for the same should also be done with no bias for political interest.”

The 16th five year plan which has just started in the country should make a difference in the urban development areas, expect some city dwellers. They told a public meeting on Monday “let the basic problems urban dwellers face in the country be addressed properly in time. If this is not done people will lose trust in the very concept of urbanization.”