KMC to build smart zebra crossings in Kathmandu

Kathmandu / Dec 20: Gone are the days when the traffic police persons had to blow the whistle at the top of their lungs to stop the vehicles and pedestrians alike in the zebra crossings on various roads in Kathmandu.

The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has geared up to build smart zebra crossing in various roads in Kathmandu district.

The new smart zebra crossing will stop the vehicles from 10 metres away from the both sides of the zebra crossings. The technology will be employed to do so, shared KMC Spokesperson Ishwor Man Dangol.

According to Dangol, there are currently zebra crossings in around 100 places, which is very less in comparison to the movement of people. While some places have zebra crossings which are not so visible.

The new zebra crossings will be clearly visible even at night without artificial light, shared Dangol.

Construction of new zebra crossing is going to be forwarded in view of the growing movement of the people in Kathmandu.

Dangol said, “The zebra crossing we are going to build will be smart ones. We are coordinating efforts to construct zebra crossings in the places seeing the highest footfall of the people.”

The KMC, which had allocated over Rs 13 billion budget for the current fiscal year 2017/18, has allocated over Rs 4 billion budget for the development of physical infrastructures. The majority of this budget would be spent in the expansion of the roads and its repair, the KMC said.

Kathmandu has around 1,450 kilometres metalled road. KMC has authority to repair road measuring eight metres or less in breadth. To repair roads above eight metres, KMC has to coordinate with the Department of Roads.

KMC has a total of 950 kilometres of road with eight metres or below in breadth. Kathmandu has roads with combined width of 633 metres. RSS