Govt announces ‘Blue Bus’ service for women

KATHMANDU: The government has announced plans to introduce a modern “Blue Bus” service for women to ensure safer public transportation.

Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle made the announcement while presenting the budget for fiscal year 2026/27 in the Federal Parliament on Friday.

He said the service will be equipped with CCTV cameras and designed to ensure safe mobility for women in major urban areas.

The government has also allocated Rs 28.52 billion for nationwide road maintenance, with a focus on making urban roads in the Kathmandu Valley dust-free and pothole-free through a regular maintenance campaign.

A separate allocation of Rs 3.17 billion has been set aside for climate-resilient infrastructure in high-risk highway sections to ensure quick restoration of transport services affected by landslides.

Wagle announced that the 1,028-kilometre East-West Highway will be upgraded to a four-lane corridor within five years. He added that upgrades of key road sections, including Kamala–Kanchanpur and Narayanghat–Butwal, will be completed this year.

In the next fiscal year, 80 kilometres of upgrades will be carried out along sections such as Kakadvitta–Laukahi, Kamala–Bagmati, Butwal–Gorusinge, and Dhanakhol–Lamahi.

The budget also includes Rs 37.46 billion for the East-West Highway.

In addition, the government plans to complete 40 bridges and 5.4 kilometres of tunnel construction under the Kathmandu–Tarai–Madhes Fast Track project in the coming year.

Plans have also been announced to begin expansion of the Kalanki–Basundhara section of the Kathmandu Ring Road, complete the design of the Basundhara–Chabahil–Koteshwor section, and conduct a detailed feasibility study of the Tokha–Chhahare tunnel road.

Railway development will also be advanced, including the Bardibas section up to the Kathmandu–Tarai–Madhes Fast Track starting point, while funds have been allocated to complete ongoing works on the Bathnaha–Biratnagar and Janakpur–Jaynagar–Bardibas railway lines.

The announcement was made during the budget presentation for FY 2026/27 in the Federal Parliament.