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In the vibrant Kathmandu Valley of the 1970s to 1990s, a silent, eco-friendly wonder cruised the streets, linking neighborhoods and simplifying daily travel for thousands. The electric trolley bus, a gift from the People’s Republic of China, was more than just a mode of transport—it was a symbol of modernity, environmental consciousness, and efficient public mobility. Operating on a 13-km route from Tripureswor in Kathmandu to Suryabinayak in Bhaktapur, these trolley buses offered a pollution-free alternative in a rapidly urbanizing valley. However, by the early 2000s, the system had faded into obscurity, a victim of mismanagement, political instability, and neglect. Today, as Kathmandu grapples with crippling traffic congestion and hazardous air pollution, the revival of the trolley bus system—along the Ring Road and the original Tripureswor-Suryabinayak route—presents a compelling solution to modern urban challenges.

The golden era of trolley bus

The trolley bus system was inaugurated on 28 Dec 1975, with an investment of Rs 40m from China. Twenty-two trolley buses began operations, covering the 13-km stretch between Tripureswor and Suryabinayak, passing through key areas like Koteshwor, Thimi, and Bhaktapur. The system was a visionary project, initiated during King Mahendra’s reign and realized under King Birendra, leveraging Nepal’s abundant hydroelectric potential to power clean public transport.

For residents of the Kathmandu Valley, the trolley bus was a lifeline. It facilitated seamless travel for commuters from Bhaktapur, Thimi, and surrounding areas to the capital, offering a comfortable, reliable, and affordable ride. Unlike diesel-powered buses, the electric trolley buses produced no tailpipe emissions, contributing to cleaner air in a valley already showing signs of urban strain. By the 1980s, the system was absorbing up to 80 percent of passenger journeys between Kathmandu and Bhaktapur, carrying as many as 10,000 passengers daily. Economically, the buses were a boon, requiring no fuel and minimal maintenance compared to fossil-fuel vehicles. Plans were even drawn to extend the route to encircle the Ring Road and reach Kalanki, a vision that promised to transform valley-wide mobility.

However, the system’s golden era was short-lived. By the late 1980s, political unrest and management inefficiencies began to erode its success. Overhead wires and pylons were damaged, resources were misused, and maintenance was neglected. By 1989, the once-profitable system started incurring losses, and private bus operators, rumored to have sabotaged the service, gained ground. The Nepal Trolley Bus Service, a branch of the Nepal Transportation Corporation (NTC), struggled under bureaucratic overstaffing and cronyism. Operations were suspended in 2001, briefly revived in 2003 on a truncated 5-km route from Tripureswor to Koteshwor, and permanently shuttered in November 2008. Today, the rusting hulks of the trolley buses at the Baneswor terminal stand as a poignant reminder of a lost opportunity.

Kathmandu’s modern mobility crisis

Fast-forward to 2025, and the Kathmandu Valley is choking under the weight of its own growth. With a population of nearly 4m and 1.75m registered vehicles, the valley faces unprecedented traffic congestion, air pollution, and an unreliable public transport system. Motorbikes dominate, making up 79 percent of the vehicle fleet, while microbuses and minibuses—low-occupancy, poorly maintained, and often overcrowded—constitute 94 percent of public transport vehicles. These diesel-powered vehicles emit significant particulate matter, contributing to Kathmandu’s ranking as one of the world’s most polluted cities. An estimated 9,943 Nepalis die prematurely each year due to outdoor air pollution, with the valley bearing a disproportionate burden.

The Ring Road, an eight-lane artery encircling Kathmandu and Patan, was designed to alleviate central congestion but is now overwhelmed by traffic. Microbuses, notorious for erratic driving and frequent stops, exacerbate delays and pollution. Despite road expansions, the lack of an efficient mass transit system has driven reliance on private vehicles, with motorbike and car ownership soaring. Public transport serves only 28 percent of the valley’s population, and commuters face long waits, cramped conditions, and unreliable schedules. The economic toll is staggering, with congestion causing losses in productivity, increased fuel imports, and public health costs.

The case for revival

Reviving the trolley bus system offers a sustainable, cost-effective solution to Kathmandu’s mobility and environmental woes. Trolley buses, powered by overhead electric wires, have distinct advantages over battery-operated electric buses, which dominate current discussions on green transport. They require no expensive batteries, reducing upfront costs and eliminating the need for frequent battery replacements or imports. Their continuous power supply ensures uninterrupted operation, unlike battery buses that need recharging. Nepal’s surplus hydroelectric capacity, especially during the monsoon season, could power a revived trolley bus network, reducing reliance on imported fossil fuels and improving the balance of trade.

Two potential routes stand out for revival: the original 13-km Tripureswor-Suryabinayak corridor and a new 27-km loop along the Ring Road. The Tripureswor-Suryabinayak route, serving densely populated areas like Bhaktapur and Thimi, could recapture its former glory as a high-demand commuter lifeline. A Ring Road trolley bus system would connect key nodes across Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur, offering an alternative to microbuses and private vehicles. Both routes could integrate with smaller electric vans or Safa Tempos for last-mile connectivity, creating a cohesive public transport network.

A 2006 revival attempt by the Kathmandu Electric Vehicle Alliance projected annual profits of one crore Nepali Rupees within a year, demonstrating economic viability. Modern trolley buses, equipped with e-ticketing, GPS tracking, and improved comfort, could attract riders accustomed to private vehicles. Studies show 73 percent of Kathmandu commuters support a shift to public transport, particularly if it’s reliable and eco-friendly. Prioritizing punctuality, comfort, and real-time information—key passenger demands—could ensure high ridership.

Challenges and solutions

Reviving the trolley bus system is not without hurdles. The 2006 effort failed due to deteriorating infrastructure and lack of maintenance, underscoring the need for robust management. Political will is critical, as past failures were tied to bureaucracy and cronyism. The valley’s 18 municipalities must collaborate, potentially through a dedicated transport authority, to coordinate routes, subsidies, and infrastructure. Subsidies will be essential, as public transport often operates at a loss to ensure accessibility, but the economic and environmental benefits justify the investment.

Infrastructure costs, including overhead wires and substations, pose another challenge. However, trolley buses are cheaper to deploy in smaller cities like Kathmandu compared to sprawling metropolises. Partnerships with international donors, such as the Asian Development Bank, which funded low-emission buses in 2018, could offset costs. Public-private partnerships, as seen in the ADB’s Kathmandu Sustainable Urban Transport Project, could ensure sustainability. Learning from past mistakes, rigorous maintenance schedules and anti-corruption measures are non-negotiable.

Competition from microbuses, backed by powerful private operators, could resist the trolley bus revival. A phased approach, starting with a pilot route, could build public support and demonstrate viability. Regulatory reforms, such as prioritizing trolley buses in dedicated lanes or banning diesel microbuses on key routes, could level the playing field.

A vision for the future

The trolley bus system’s revival could transform Kathmandu into a model of sustainable urban mobility. By reducing reliance on microbuses, it would cut particulate emissions, easing the valley’s air pollution crisis. Dedicated trolley bus lanes could streamline traffic flow, reducing congestion on the Ring Road and Tripureswor-Suryabinayak corridor. Economically, lower fuel imports and increased productivity would bolster Nepal’s economy. Socially, an accessible, dignified public transport system would improve quality of life, particularly for low-income commuters.

Kathmandu’s trolley buses once represented a bold leap into the future. Today, they offer a chance to reclaim that vision, blending nostalgia with necessity. With Nepal’s hydroelectric potential, public demand for green transport, and lessons from past failures, the time is ripe for revival. The rusting relics at Baneswor need not be the end of the story—they could be the prologue to a cleaner, less congested Kathmandu Valley.

The United States has completed a review of foreign aid for the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) portfolio as part of alignment with the Trump administration’s ‘America First’ foreign policy. The new strategy, MCC explained in a press statement, will make the US ‘safer, stronger and more prosperous’. Further details are to follow after the MCC Board decision-making process and other consultations with the US Congress and partner countries.

The $500m MCC Compact is being implemented in collaboration with the government. The government has agreed to add another $197m, making the project’s total cost stand at $747m. The compact will develop Nepal’s transmission network for electricity and highways, promoting national prosperity and regional energy integration.

Earlier, Millennium Challenge Account Nepal (MCA-Nepal) appreciated the US government’s decision to allow continuation of the project under a special exception with the ongoing suspension of larger foreign aid programs.

On Jan 20, US President Donald Trump issued an executive order directing a review of all US foreign aid in accordance with the ‘America First’ policy. This led to a halt in the disbursement of aid from organizations like USAID and MCC for 90 days. Although MCC was exempted at first, its funding was eventually included in the suspension.

However, in March, MCC granted permission for Nepal to continue with essential procurement and office operations. Since then, project implementation has resumed. The MCC Board has already approved an additional $50m in Jan 2025 to address cost overruns in the transmission line component, although both the Nepal cabinet and US Congress are yet to confirm the release of these funds.

Contracts for three substations of Tanahun (Damauli), Nuwakot (Ratmate) and Nawalparasi, as well as for an 18-kilometer transmission line between the New Butwal substation and the Indian border, have been issued. Physical work has already begun in most places.

MCA-Nepal has also tendered for the remaining 297 km of transmission lines and bid evaluations are in the final phase. An earlier tender for 315 km had to be cancelled after bids received were over 60 percent higher than estimated costs.

Implementation of the five-year compact began on 30 Aug 2023. Any unspent money at the close date will be returned to the US government. To date, during fiscal years 2023 and 2024, $471.3m in obligations have been incurred under the MCC Nepal Compact, states ForeignAssistance.gov.

Signed in Sept 2017, the MCC-Nepal Compact took years of politicking, parliamentary ratification finally happening on 27 Feb 2022. At last, after a six-year break since the signing of the agreement, the project was launched officially in Aug 2023.

Though Nepal has already increased its share from the originally agreed $130m to $197m, the additional $50m MCC aid remains uncertain. Whether or not the Trump administration will approve the additional funds and whether or not Nepal’s cabinet will endorse it remains unknown.

Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) is a US government agency established by the Congress in 2004 as an independent entity to reduce global poverty through granting time-limited programs of economic growth, poverty reduction and institution building. While the agency’s top priority is development in partner countries, its mission is also designed to promote American interests abroad.

Nepal was eligible for MCC assistance in 2014 and obtained the $500m grant following persistent dialogue. The compact is one of the biggest bundles of US assistance to Nepal ever and is being implemented under MCA-Nepal, an office established under Development Board Act, 2013.

Poetry can feel a little intimidating but there are some hacks if you want to get into it: Read poems out loud. Read them repeatedly. Let the words take space in your head. Over time, you will definitely come to enjoy reading poems and will find that they make sense as well, sometimes even resonating more than well-written prose by your favorite author.

I was petrified of poems and was relieved that I wouldn’t have to read them once they weren’t prescribed syllabus. But once I was out of college, I started picking up random poetry books of my own volition. One of the earliest works I read were some Nepali poems and those by Maya Angelou. I have to admit that not everything made sense but I enjoyed how I felt reading the words till they eventually fell into place. Slowly, I started picking up more poetry books as I could quickly read one or two even during busy days. I would carry a book of poetry in my bag and dip into it whenever I had some time. 

Over the years, I have amassed quite a few volumes of poetry. Gulzar, Rumi, Keats—I have tried to read widely and find what suits my taste. Not everything makes sense immediately but I’m not as intimidated by poems as I once was. I recently picked up ‘The Poetry Pharmacy’ by Willian Sieghart and the book goes everywhere with me. It’s on my bedside table at night. I carry it in my bag. I read a random page whenever I can and somehow whatever I read resonates deeply.The Poetry Pharmacy proclaims to be tried-and-true prescriptions for the heart, mind, and soul. And it indeed is. From mental and emotional wellbeing to love and loss, there are poems in this slim volume for all kinds of ailments. 

The idea of the poetry pharmacy came into being many years ago when Sieghart was asked to prescribe poems from one of his books to the audience during a literary festival in England. What was supposed to be an hour long affair turned into a several hours long event. People queued up to be prescribed a poem that would fix whatever was weighing down their hearts. Sieghart realized that “suffering is the access point to poetry for a lot of people: that’s when they open their ears, hearts, and minds.”

In the introduction to the book, he says sometimes the right words when people are in need can bring great comfort and that creates a love for poetry that can last a lifetime. He urges readers not to worry about their ability to read a poem and to try and read the same poem every night for five nights in a row when it doesn’t make sense. “Keep it by your bed and read it before you switch out the lights,” he says. That’s what I have been doing with The Poetry Pharmacy and the poems in the book have, in many ways, been a soothing balm just when I have needed it. 

Poems like ‘If’ by Rudyard Kipling and ‘Still I Rise’ by Maya Angelou are two of my favorites that fill me with hope. There are many other poems ‘New Every Morning’ by Susan Coolige that has been prescribed for compulsive behavior, ‘The Mistake’ by James Fenton prescribed to get over regret and self-loathing, and ‘Come to the Edge’ by Christopher Logue that can fix lack of courage that feel like big, enveloping hugs that you didn’t know you needed. There’s a poem titled ‘Chemotherapy’ by Julia Darling that I must urge everyone to read. Cancer is unfortunately becoming something we are all dealing with on a personal level: perhaps we have gone through it ourselves or seen a loved one suffer. This poem reminds us that life can’t be made inconsequential by illness and that small pleasures can bring a lot of comfort in the darkest of times. 

The Poetry Pharmacy brings together some of the best poems by poets who understand the human conditions all too well. The book’s layout is such that it has Sieghart’s ‘prescriptions’ on one side and the poem on the other page. His explanations or ‘editorials’ are every bit as uplifting as the poems he prescribes. The book is a complication of 56 universal problems. Read it cover to cover or dip in and out whenever you want to, this brilliant book of poems is guaranteed to be a lifesaver.

The Poetry Pharmacy

William Sieghart

Published: 2017

Publisher: Particular Books, Penguin Random House UK

Pages: 151, Hardcover

Laxmi Thapa Magar

Birth: 1946

Death: 2025

Laxmi didi, as she was popularly known, passed away at the age of 79. A resident of Baneshwor, she was not only the owner of a small yet famous tea shop but also the heart of an entire generation’s memories, political discussions, and human warmth. 

Born into a Newar family, she married into a Magar household during a time when inter-caste marriages were rare and frowned upon. She is survived by her son Mohan and two daughters Rita and Gita. Her husband passed away earlier, but her legacy remains alive in the hearts of those she served, laughed with, and inspired.

Her shop was once a traditional two-storey home, but it became something more—a sanctuary. From early morning, 7:00 am onwards, the place would fill with the smell of freshly brewed tea, the sizzle of mutton curry, and the chatter of minds hungry for conversation and connection. More than a local eatery, it was a hub of political thought, literary exchange, and lifelong friendships. Her mutton momo and  curry were famous, but it was her calm smile and generous spirit that made people want to keep coming back.

Senior advocate and former lawmaker Radheshyam Adhikari, who has been visiting her shop for nearly 58 years, says, “If her shop had not existed, we would never have met each other. That place was not just a tea shop—it was a bridge. A group of us came together there, people from different districts and backgrounds, and we connected through conversation, debate, and Laxmi’s quiet strength.” “During times when FM radios, televisions, or even regular newspapers weren’t part of everyday life, her shop served as a place where people gathered to read shared copies of Gorkhapatra and other papers, passionately discussing politics and national issues. Figures like Rajendra Kharel, Hari Sharma, and even Kisun Ji would drop by regularly,” he adds. 

From the later years of the Panchayat era to his active political life, former Prime Minister and Nepali Congress leader Krishna Prasad Bhattarai made it a routine to drink tea and meet party cadres every Saturday at Laxmi didi’s shop.

The small tea shop, housed in a modest building with a tin roof, would be frequented by many leaders and activists alongside Kisunji. Since it was the regular hangout of a top Congress leader, Laxmi didi’s tea shop became a hub for political discussions and debates. During the Panchayat period, when the Nepali Congress was banned, leaders and activists needed no other location—Laxmi didi’s shop was the go-to meeting point.

Even after the restoration of democracy and during his tenure as Kisunji continued to be surrounded by party workers at the tea spot every Saturday. The gatherings were filled with conversations about both joys and hardships.

According to Adhikari, people didn’t just come for the tea; they came for her warmth, her wisdom, and the community she created. Laxmi didi never raised her voice, never turned anyone away. She offered meals to friends even when times were tough. Her kindness wasn’t performative—it was embedded in every action of hers.

Adhikari recalls, during elections, her shop was where people gathered before heading to Ratna Library to vote.

It wasn’t just local figures who recognized the shop’s significance. Even BP Koirala, the  democratic leader and writer, once expressed a wish to join the conversations that took place there. “I would like to be there and have an intellectual conversation with you all,” he reportedly said, “but the smoke doesn’t suit me.” Due to health reasons and the smoking habits of some attendees, he couldn’t visit often—but his words alone marked the space as a recognized hub of intellectual engagement.

Adhikari says that writers may have mentioned her in their essays, where she will be remembered forever. He laments, “Without her, the shop doesn’t feel the same. We miss her very much.”