Electric transport

Electric transport, the basic need for today’s polluted urban environment in Nepal, has not yet been able to attract appropriate attention from investors, planners, transport-entrepreneurs and decision makers. As a result of this, the talk about electric vehicle, charging station, technology and capital related to them is usually taken in light vein. Although experts of EV know all dimensions of electric transport, the same has not yet reached the commoners or the actual public users. The knowledge and skill essential for understanding the whole scenario that the switch over from petrol diesel based transport brings about in society is lacking. A massive communication campaign for sensitizing all about the electric transport is the need of the hour. If this is not done EV will be used only by a few as per their resources, interest and professional compulsion. It will not be for the public. A few steps taken for introducing EV in public transport have not been successful and a number of big vehicles meant for electric transport are not in use at the moment; some of them might turn out to be unusable in the near future. Resources spent on them appear to have been wasted. Rescuing them from current non-use is as important as planning in big way for introducing electric vehicle in public transport sector. For this the government and the private sector should be on the same page. But the expressions coming from Singha Durbar and private investors suggest varied concept and trend in matters of investing in EV. The government should come forward with a plan that can assure policy stability for sufficient time-period in the sector of public EV besides demonstrating willingness to prepare infra structure for the public electric transport. The private sector should also not expect too much protection for their investment in EV; they should be able to take risk on their own as they usually take in other enterprises. The issue of electric public transport cannot be left out orphaned. The world outside Nepal has made remarkable progress in introducing EV in public transport sector. Nepal will feel its impact in course of time. That is why it is better to focus attention on the question of introducing electric vehicles in public transport sector in the country. As experts have argued the roads of Nepal particularly the urban roads and the highways are fit for electric transport. If this could be done it will be a great contribution to lessening the pollution level in urban areas of Nepal. It will ultimately be instrumental in upgrading the public health standard, cleaning environment in cities and providing transport entrepreneurs a reliable alternative to focus on.