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Road Muddles in the Valley





So I recently saw this being shared, and I could not agree more. It brings me no joy to bring up this topic; wait, it actually does bring me joy. Not ‘joy joy’ but you get the point.
I can’t help but remember this one assignment during our MBA course. My friend and I were supposed to do a presentation on a system that needs change in Nepal and we literally came to the same conclusion in mere seconds, I kid you not. The system that needs immediate change in Nepal: the transportation system. I’m sure most of you would agree with me, wouldn’t you? I can see hypothetical nods as I write this. It hasn’t been long that I have rode by myself on the roads of Nepal, but I think I can speak on behalf of everyone, be it on any sort of vehicle or on foot.

The conditions of the roads of Nepal comes as no surprise to any of us; no, not in the least bit. The recently finished or rather renovated ring road, the underground passage at Kalanki chowk is great, no doubt, but all foreign aided. Are there streetlights in Kathmandu, the main city? Hell, no! Even the main streets lack streetlights with a few exceptions. Is the transportation office a tiny bit flexible with the tax payment? Of course not. Why would they be, right? Tax is meant to be paid on time, for your house, from your income, for your vehicle, hell even for breathing. But let’s leave all that aside for now and focus on the road muddle in the valley.

When you step outside, I’m sure you must see the traffic. Who knows how many vehicles there are out there, be it four wheeled or two wheeled. Now imagine, each and every individual out there pays tax for the vehicle because they should. Can you imagine the tax amount endured? I for one, cannot. But here is the big twister: if such tax amount is collected on regular basis, from a large crowd, I may add, where does it all go? Are we paying tax for roads that are safe and good to ride? Who are we kidding? Are we paying tax for roads that ensure our safety at night? Please refer to the sentence of no streetlights for the answer. Are we paying tax for roads that are regularly maintained? Do I really need to answer that?

But, but here’s another twister: does that stop the government from fining the average citizen for shenanigans? You forgot to put on your helmet, you might be fined. You are talking on the phone while driving, you might be fined. You are driving drunk, you might be fined. I get it, the government is doing this for my own safety and for the others around me. But if they were as we called “concerned for our safety”, would they not pay the least bit attention to all of the things pointed out above?

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