Sajha Bus is a phenomenon here in Kathmandu these days. These green buses capable of accommodating more than 60 passenger stand out, just by their size, in this city where we have been used to being squeezed in Tempos and Microbuses.
So I decided to wait for one a few days back. It is an attractive option for my commute because I won't have to change vehicles; there is one route that goes from Gongabu to Lagankhel. Since they do not have many vehicles yet, I presume, I waited for nearly 45 minutes to get a ride. There were empty seats for a change! Having been used to accepting precocious teenagers' road rage filled rampage through the streets of Kathmandu as public transport, the calm cruise in Sajha Bus was indeed soothing- both to the bottoms and the mind. And having not to wrangle with a pre-pubertal kid to get the due change was a consolation too. I opened up a book for the commute and said to myself this is good!
Similar appears to be the feeling of many of my compatriots. When there was a hint of cartels (who have monopolized the public transport routes) growling, the response in the press and public comments were robust. There indeed seems to be a support for these green buses at the public level.
Caution is, however, advised in any ecstasies that frolick in our hearts at these shores. There is no paucity of grand initiatives in this country. The primary problem has been in completing those initiatives, maintaining the achievements and progressing over time. Sajha Yatayat has a history of existence in the past. Of success for a reasonably long time and a downfall. It is an institution of public-private partnership (a co-op). The downfall is largely credited to political meddling. It has been revived now again as a co-op with representatives from the government and other representatives from civil society who are well-known and respected in the society. They do offer us hope. But we still face a question, how is this different than the previous arrangement. Maybe there are certain conditions that are changed now that will prevent the institution from mismanagement of the past, I don't know.
Sajha Yatayat has set sight to transforming transport services of the country. The mission and vision that they have explicated are lofty. We do sincerely hope for the success of Sajha Bus. Firstly, because we want a trustworthy transport system. Secondly, and more importantly, to demonstrate a succesful system that might be able to work at a national level to address many other developmental issues we have in our society.
So I decided to wait for one a few days back. It is an attractive option for my commute because I won't have to change vehicles; there is one route that goes from Gongabu to Lagankhel. Since they do not have many vehicles yet, I presume, I waited for nearly 45 minutes to get a ride. There were empty seats for a change! Having been used to accepting precocious teenagers' road rage filled rampage through the streets of Kathmandu as public transport, the calm cruise in Sajha Bus was indeed soothing- both to the bottoms and the mind. And having not to wrangle with a pre-pubertal kid to get the due change was a consolation too. I opened up a book for the commute and said to myself this is good!
Similar appears to be the feeling of many of my compatriots. When there was a hint of cartels (who have monopolized the public transport routes) growling, the response in the press and public comments were robust. There indeed seems to be a support for these green buses at the public level.
Caution is, however, advised in any ecstasies that frolick in our hearts at these shores. There is no paucity of grand initiatives in this country. The primary problem has been in completing those initiatives, maintaining the achievements and progressing over time. Sajha Yatayat has a history of existence in the past. Of success for a reasonably long time and a downfall. It is an institution of public-private partnership (a co-op). The downfall is largely credited to political meddling. It has been revived now again as a co-op with representatives from the government and other representatives from civil society who are well-known and respected in the society. They do offer us hope. But we still face a question, how is this different than the previous arrangement. Maybe there are certain conditions that are changed now that will prevent the institution from mismanagement of the past, I don't know.
Sajha Yatayat has set sight to transforming transport services of the country. The mission and vision that they have explicated are lofty. We do sincerely hope for the success of Sajha Bus. Firstly, because we want a trustworthy transport system. Secondly, and more importantly, to demonstrate a succesful system that might be able to work at a national level to address many other developmental issues we have in our society.
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