A contrastingly different urban situation is instantly apparent. Gloating about Kathmandu’s long gone past is as ridiculous as lecturing about advantages of electricity to those enduring nights sans lights. We are, in effect, stuck between the make-believe past and an even chaotic future. Taking pride for living under the shadows of priceless creations is futile as these have neither received adequate care nor the love they so deserve.
The care is generally shouldered by official bodies; love should come naturally from the hearts and minds of town inhabitants. UNESCO was very concerned about incompatible constructions sprouting in and around designated world heritage sites here. The world body even issued delisting warnings. Unable to act as required, we have had no choice save making mercy pleas, time and again, since 1979.
Historically, valley settlements evolved around the centre of power represented by the palace. Everything else was in small scale ranging from population, settlement size, building height to thoroughfares and lane width. River flood plains remained sacrosanct as settlements were built on higher tar while lower land was spared as dhan khet. It was no less significant that building materials in the valley consisted exclusively of soil.
But as all good times eventually come to an end, problems were bound to emerge on all fronts as valley’s population crept up. The in-migration continues nonstop, and was enhanced by valley’s central role in all spares. The insurgency saw the migration graph get even steeper with land prices shooting through the roof. On the other hand, existing but deficient infrastructures were loaded many times beyond their capacity.
Problems are bound to emerge on many fronts as population creeps up. The situation will get worse with no new infrastructure works in sight.
The already bad situation got progressively worse and yet there were no big infrastructure works in sight. The facilities treating urban sewage lie unused, a glaring example of unaccountability. On the water front, even the much hyped Melamchi will not be enough when it arrives, if it ever does!
The credit for introducing some concrete planning for the Valley goes to foreign experts. Of whom Sekler had the first feel of the potential value of heritage sites in 1962. Lefvert, a Swede, followed hot on Sekler’s heels to establish a town planning office under UN technical programme. Pruscha, an Austrian, came next and was the first to introduce the concept of planning for the whole valley.
The year 1967 saw publication of a voluminous, khaki-bound, odd-sized book titled The Physical Development Plan for the Kathmandu Valley. The objective was to provide for the long term protection, restoration, and development of historic, religious, and culturally important monument zones, monument sites and festivals.
Nothing much happened in the interim except for the sketching of the plan in official documents. The concept of development region was taking shape under Dr. Harkha Gurung and King Birendra was deeply interested. The five Bikas Chhetras were in news much too often as Royal entourage camped in each regional centre, once every few years, to review the plan and its progress. Planning teams never had it so good, with direct access to King’s ears and approval of every comma and full stop!
Since 2033 BS, Valley towns had reasonable building bylaws, and clear-cut right-of-ways (ROWs) for recognised roads. But the land use plan did not offer much beyond maintaining the status quo. Responsible authorities could not see beyond often insignificant and haphazard urban works, and ignored wider infrastructure projects that had become necessary.
The Kathmandu Valley Plan which came with a loud bang ended up with a whimper. The situation got progressively worse with time. It resembled a smaller “urban octopus” with ribbon like developments along its hundreds of tentacles as envisaged in the 1967 plan. Since, the octopus has gotten much bigger and as urbanisation continues even the tentacles will disappear, ultimately, as it turns into one ugly blob.
Development works were often pursued without any rhyme or reason. The glaring example being “Teku truck parking” built near Bishnumati-Bagmati confluence, which no truck ever used. The land for Patan Dhoka buspark was wrested from Patan College after much haggling. It functions even now as a dedicated space for parking of “private buses”.
A historic sattal south of Dharahara, believed to have been built by Math Bar Singh himself and allegedly owned by his descendents back then, was forcefully dismantled. The demolition helped provide unrestricted access to the plots of a person on whose prompting the work was executed. This was done under the guise of overall Dharahara improvement. Golfutar housing project was another example.
On a larger scale, Kuleswor and Dallu were designated for housing development. But this essentially included acquiring, designing, plotting and then selling the plots. The Dallu project had a very rough ride as it took over a quarter of century of gestation. Ultimately, the plan had to be revised to placate the landowners.
Considering the current impetus in claiming the right of way and news of bulldozers running amuck we wonder why it could not have happened earlier. There are undoubtedly many who support the ongoing demolition. Human nature dictates that any plan is ideal so long as it benefits us personally, without us having to make sacrifices.
But it is sheer injustice to bulldoze now and ask the aggrieved party to wait till eternity for compensation. And people like these, whose properties are violated, are not at fault. There is no denying that drastic actions are required, on many fronts, to address the issues the urban areas are confronting. The current effort appears more like a “stent” inserted to open up a clogged artery. In the mean time, armed by the “tooth” lent by no other than the PM himself, the bulldozers are likely to rake more dust, smoke and debris. Surely, the agencies never had it so good; they not only have PM’s tooth but also his ears.
The writer has background in urban planning
harjyal@yahoo.com
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