KATHMANDU: A new momentum has swept across Kathmandu Valley’s roads as Minister Kulman Ghising’s intervention has triggered round-the-clock pothole repairs in major corridors of the city, an unprecedented pace for a problem that has long frustrated commuters.
For years, narrow roads, dense traffic and waterlogged craters have made Kathmandu’s streets hazardous. But the interim government’s intensified campaign, led directly by the Energy, Water Resources, Urban Development and Physical Infrastructure Minister, has brought visible changes within days.
Repair teams are now working from late evening until dawn, a schedule that residents say they had never seen before. Minister Ghising has himself been inspecting work sites late at night, often arriving unannounced to monitor progress and ensure repairs continue without delay.
Ride-sharing worker Sameer Bhattarai, who is on the road until 11 p.m. most days, says the difference is noticeable.
“I see workers filling potholes every night now,” he said. “Earlier, big potholes stayed open for months. This pace of work is new and much needed.”
Daily commuter Kavita Shrestha, who travels from Jhamsikhel to Ratnapark, says the rapid repairs have already improved safety.
“Potholes I used to dodge in the evening are repaired by the next morning,” she said. “The city feels safer and more orderly.”
Shrestha recalls suffering a recurring arm injury after hitting a pothole in Thapathali.
“I ride slowly, but still fell into a deep pothole once. My hand twisted and still hurts sometimes,” she said.
The Department of Roads has repaired potholes every year, but the scale and urgency seen in recent days is markedly different. Minister Ghising’s direct presence at repair sites, sometimes past midnight, has energized the campaign and drawn widespread public attention.
Work currently continues from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. On Monday night, the minister visited an active site at 11 p.m. Three days later, he returned with a fully equipped “infrastructure ambulance” carrying materials for immediate repairs.
The Kathmandu Road Division has introduced the service for the first time in Nepal, aiming to ensure rapid response to dangerous road damage. Minister Ghising also announced plans for a mobile app through which citizens can report potholes.
“In the first phase, we have begun this as a trial on roads under the Kathmandu Division. We will gradually expand it across the country,” he said.
Road Department spokesperson Eng. Shyam Bahadur Khadka said the new push is designed to speed up an ongoing responsibility.
“We repair potholes throughout the year, but this effort is meant to make the work faster and more responsive,” he said. “With the minister’s priority and the Road Division’s new ambulance service, this becomes a first-of-its-kind practice.”
Khadka added that Rs 1.25 billion has already been secured from the Road Board for pothole repair nationwide, ensuring no shortage of funds as the round-the-clock campaign expands.
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