Moving forward - Ways to improve Kathmandu (please share your ideas/views)
As painful as the earthquake disaster in Nepal was or is, we need to move on. Rebuilding Kathmandu, capital city should serve as a model for the entire country.
Please share some ways to improve or rebuild Kathmandu.
Many foreigners come to Kathmandu to see traditional architecture, temples and houses. So as new houses are built, emphasis should be given to maintain architecture essence that reflect traditional style. That doesn't mean people need to sacrifice safety or structural integrity. There are several civil engineering and architecture colleges which could devise courses revelant to traditional Nepali society.
Limit houses to three stories tall. This will serve two purposes. Nepal being in the earthquake prone location. And also so that the houses do not dominate temples or squares.
Proper zoning laws and enforcement.
Wide roads, multi-lane.
Since Nepal has to import gas or petrol so emphasis or encouragment on using bicycles and provision for proper bike lane.
Proper footpaths.
Ample parks, fields, including manmade ponds.
Build 7' or bigger diameter sewage tunnel on both sides of rivers so raw waste is not directly dumped in the rivers.
Proper environment for domestic and NRN invertment in public utilities like electricity, drinking water, etc.
Include moral lessons or courses in education early on to tackle societal problems or issues faced by Nepali society today, such as corruption, callousness, nepotism, etc.
what about government funded solar panels on top of all houses. Build another international airport in pokhara to decentralize people off kathmandu.
Make maximum terms (ideally two terms of four years) for elected officials, including president, prime minister, etc.
Also economic and infracture development should be decentralized so that people don't swarm to the capital city alone. This implies more than one international airports in Nepal.
Build better highways (more than one lane) that connect Kathmandu to the rest of the country. This would need tunneling hills or mountains.
With enough hydropower generation, Nepal could invest on electic train which would further alleviate expensive import or petrolium product from India or others.
Pierre Charles L'Enfant's architectural philosophy was such that, a building should not be taller than the width of the street it stands by. If so, I think the quakes will have less likelihood of toppling the structures onto other buildings and will also allow enough daylight to spill into the streets. I wholeheartedly agree that buildings in the UNESCO heritage sites should reflect the traditional Newari architecture while the underlying structural soundness is re-enforced with the latest building technology. The street hawks and the loiterers should NOT be allowed to tamper with the ancient structures so as to reduce burdening their fragile life. At least locally, new building-height restrictions should be enforced so that the historical buildings dominate the skyline in the vicinity. The compounds within each UNESCO world heritage site can be ticketed at least nominally to prevent overcrowding and to self-generate maintenance fund. The Nepali government could budget a fund to fence these architectural jewels once totally restored.
Finally someone is thinking ahead.
@ Ramas Thinking about housing just because the earthquake happened is not really thinking ahead. that is called being reactive. we need to be pro-active...example Japan or San Francisco.
I believe it all starts with the youth...however the youth themselves do not wanna stay in nepal...they will leave at the single chance they get and i completely understand. There is no incentive to stay in nepal or to return to nepal. And since they are the future we need to listen to them by asking them what nepal can do to make them stay or return back after studying abroad. Let's be honest nepal is not a inviting place....yes nepal is home...but who would want to come to your house if your house is dirty. The Gov't is hopeless....so forget them. We need to start private trade school that specifically target things the make an make an impact. And have contract with the school and the business. We need to take example from here (US). For example...kids go to trade school to learn how to put up dry wall, mechanic, electrical work. etc. These are just examples!! The school should set-up a contract with the student and local business so that they have a job once certification gained. There should be HOA like we have here....that takes care of the neighborhood. Tell you the truth...i can go on and on and on and i don't feel like typing anymore....but the key thing is nepal has to look inviting, there needs to be incentive for the youth not leave and if they do, have incentive for them to come back. let put this way....i will never think about raising my fam in nepal....even if i land a great 6 figure job. but give me 6 figure job....to UK, Germany, Japan, etc. i'll will def consider moving.
Peace out!!!
Very good points by all friends, some of my comments too :
1. Decentralization of major ministries and necessities ( airports, universities, hospitals, shopping malls etc ) so that people from all over Nepal don't have to come to Kathmandu for everything
2.Strict rules and regulations for making new buildings, roads, infrastructures etc
3.Giving enough loan to people to build their houses for 5 years with no interests, papers can be taken by loan providers unless loans are paid
4. Compulsory education on earthquake awareness and safety classes
There are more we can add, but will we be heard ???????
We seriously need to reconsider rebuilding Kathmandu besides our centries old heritage. Kathmandu was already overcrowded which caused so many death toll. Now we need to develop other parts of the country, it is time to decentralize. Let's build many schools in rural and western Nepal. I am mourning for the death of the people, but not for the property loss in Kathmandu. Kathmandu was a mess full of greed. Now it is time to think and start developing other places.
Last edited: 29-Apr-15 05:58 PM
Another good point - municipal ward or wards need to make water tower/tank higher than houses (houses being max three stories). This will save electricity as each house doesn't need to use rooftop water tank or run pump everyday. This also makes water at appropriate pressure available 24/7.
Beside houses will look better without water tanks on top of their roofs. Roof could be traditional slope in design.
I don't understand why people keep saying Nepal should build another international airport in Pokhara. Are not we talking about alternative airport cause Kathmandu being a valley is geographically unsafe for international flights that use large planes? How is Pokhara different from Kathmandu being it also a valley in an urban setting? I think if Nepal really needs an alternative international airport then it should build it in some geographically safe plain land.
@efg...They are building another international airport in Bhairahawa and is supposed to be completed by 2018, but I don't think it will be completed by that time because we are 20 years behind now.....Maoist war and now this earthquake. Also, all Nepalese knew that there will be massive earthquake in KTM someday but we were too busy fulfilling our pathetic desires forgetting other important things. God bless Nepal.
First of all Nepal needs to control it's population like china. It's population density is huge. Government should strictly regulate the one child policy like china. When you have more people there will be shortage of land and people are compelled to build tall houses. Earthquake will happen again in future. It's inevitable but if we prepare now then we can minimize the damages in the future
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