KATHMANDU: Despite being part of the capital city, residents of some areas in Kirtipur Municipality are deprived of public transport services to and from the main city of Kathmandu. Locals of Pandechap, Langol, Inchugaon, Jakha, and Rarahil of Kirtipur Municipality have faced transportation woes for three years due to the absence of public transport on the Kirtipur-Ratnapark route.

Up until three years ago, Baghbhairav Transport Pvt Ltd operated 10 buses on this route, making it easier for residents to travel. However, the company stopped the service about three years ago due to a low number of passengers and the poor condition of roads. When other companies did not step in to provide transport services on this route, local residents were forced to endure difficulty to commute.

"Even in the capital, we have to walk for half an hour to 45 minutes to reach Kirtipur market or Panga bus park to board public vehicle. Not everyone has a personal vehicle," said Radhikadevi Basnet, a local resident.

Krishna Koju, president of Baghbhairav Transport, mentioned that the service was suspended due to damaged roads but now that the roads have improved, they are preparing to resume the bus service on that route.

While some areas of Kirtipur lack public transport services, those areas that do have transport services suffer from poor quality. The trend of using small buses and microbuses has caused problems for regular public transport users. Bandana Bhandari, who lives on rent in Kirtipur, recounted her daily hardships and mistreatment while using public transport to commute to work.

"Especially in small buses, it feels like the driver and co-driver punish passengers by overcrowding," she said. "Traveling on public transport is particularly difficult for women with children." Local residents complain that public transport on the Kirtipur-Ratnapark route is especially problematic.

Stakeholders argue that a syndicate of operators running small buses prevents larger buses from operating on the route. Until 2-3 years ago, 15 buses with 40 seats operated on route number 21 from Kirtipur via Balkhu to Ratnapark. Now, only three such buses remain in service. Organizers of Kipu Bus Service claim that larger buses are more comfortable and attract more passengers, but a syndicate led by Baghbhairav Transport blocks their operation.

An anonymous operator of Kipu Bus Service stated, "Baghbhairav Transport Pvt. Ltd. does not allow big (40-seat capacity) vehicles to ply on route number 21 of Kirtipur." They allege that Baghbhairav creates obstacles due to fears that their business would be affected by the competition from larger buses. Despite the government's ban on transport syndicates in 2075, the practice persists.

Baghbhairav Transport operates 130 vehicles daily from Panga Dobato, Panga Bus Park, and Machhegaon Bus Park on the Kirtipur-Ratnapark route. This includes 80 microbuses with 15-seat capacity and 50 minibuses with 25-seat capacity. Only three 40-seat capacity buses are in service, forcing people to rely on Baghbhairav's smaller vehicles. Koju claims that while larger buses take longer to fill and depart, their microbuses offer quicker service.

Students in Kirtipur have their own complaints about the public transport service. They claim that the student ID card discount is not honored at night. Thousands of students in Kirtipur face trouble because public transport on Route No. 21 does not offer student discounts after 8 pm. Nirak Rawal, an MA student at Tribhuvan University, reported that drivers often refuse the discount after 8 pm, saying it isn't feasible to offer discounts when the buses run empty from Kirtipur to Ratnapark in the evening.