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In 2020, Kathmandu is set to host the World Bicycle Forum, a yearly cycling activism event that brings together cycling enthusiasts from all around the world. They gather to discuss (and advocate for) bicycles as a mode for urban mobil­ity. Nepal had been chosen as the host of the forum’s ninth edition by voters from different countries at an event in Peru back in Febru­ary. But as activists talk of making Kathmandu cycle-friendly, the how prepared is city to accommodate commuter cycles on its narrow and busy streets?

“The hosting of the World Bicycle Forum in Kathmandu is an oppor­tunity to invite international bicycle experts, and experienced bicycle activists and get them to experi­ence the city from the perspective of cyclists,” says Shail Shrestha, Founding President of Cycle City Network Nepal, the coordinators for the World Bicycle Forum 2020. “This will give us valuable inputs on how to make Kathmandu a cycle-friendly city.”

The organizers hope the event will make the government and other stakeholders realize that Kathman­du can be turned into a cycle-friend­ly city with minimal intervention and investment, thus solving the problems of traffic and pollution. The logic being: Kathmandu val­ley has a 27-km circumference (the length of the Ring Road), with a radius of around four km. To get to the city center from any point on the periphery on a bicycle, it takes a maximum of half an hour at a speed of 8 km-per-hour.

Cycling as a mode of daily com­mute is rare in the valley. Motorized vehicles clog its important trans­port arteries, making rush hour traffic unmanageable. Also, from a layman’s perspective, cycling in Kathmandu is almost a matter of life and death as cyclists have to jostle for space on congest­ed roads with motorbikes, cars and other public vehicles speed­ing menacingly between unclear lanes. There are few designated cycling lanes as such, no separate crossings for cyclists, and no cycle parking facilities. To make matter worse, they have to breathe in the toxic air.

Saving time and energy

The existing 1.8-km Tilgan­ga-Sinamangal and 2.7-km Tin­kune-Maitighar cycling lanes are inadequately equipped for cyclists. Cycle Track Assessment of Tin­kune-Maitighar track carried out by Clean Air Network Nepal reports that the track is “inconsistent, poorly designed, and improperly networked, all of which impede seamless mobility of the users.” Despite the hindrances, cycling has its own benefits as a means of daily commute. It saves time and fuel and, while you are at it, you also get a thorough exercise.

“Cycling in Kathmandu is dif­ficult because of the dust, heavy traffic and reckless motorists who scare away most cyclists,” says Sameer Mani Dixit, a renowned scientist and a cycling activist. “But it is not impossible to cycle here. When you are aware of these urban hazards and adapt accord­ingly, it can be a convenient way of commuting.” Dixit prefers to cycle to work and is also actively involved in advocating pedal-powered mobility in the city. “If the gov­ernment takes the initiative to build designated cycling lanes and parking lots and to incorporate cycling rules and regulations in the traffic management system, Kath­mandu can be a cycle city, and with a lot less pollution and traffic jams,” Dixit says.

In 2009 a concerned group of youths and cycling activists started the informal Kathmandu Cycle City 2020 initiative, which in 2013 took the form of the Cycle City Network Nepal. An activist-led group, the CCNN is preparing to host the World Bicycle Forum and is hopeful about establishing cycling as a sustain­able alternative in order to manage pollution and traffic congestion. “Kathmandu can be a model for the world in creating a vehicle-free transit, especially as it can also help save the beauty of the ancient towns inside the valley and to create a sus­tainable future city,” Shrestha says. “We are collaboration with multiple municipalities, ministries, embas­sies and organizations to make this event possible.”

The Kathmandu Municipality’s Policies and Programs for 2074/2075 (2017-18) envision a ‘cycle city blue­print.’ To make vehicular movement safe and convenient, the munic­ipality lists a number of ways to encourage cycling. For instance it plans to create a cycling network in coordination with neighboring municipalities. Also, it is planning to build “smart cycle parking sta­tions” and cycle tracks for the whole circumference of the Ring Road as well as in the corridor roads of Bag­mati River and its tributaries. But compared to the dirty and expen­sive road expansion projects, the cost of energy-efficient mobility is nominal.

Narrow minds

“The roads are not narrow here. It is our attitude that is narrow,” says Bhushan Tuladhar, environ­mental expert and a prominent figure in the cycling community of Kathmandu. “All our development is focused on widening the roads for vehicles. We treat cars as indi­cators of development and have created a vicious circle of road wid­ening which will never end as the number of motorized vehicles will keep increasing”.

He advises that instead of hap­hazard road expansion, our focus should be multimodal transport with prioritized infrastructures for walking, cycling and public transport, which together will “save our time and money, as well as our environment.”

At present, Nepal spends billions in import of vehicles and petro­leum products. In 2016/17, the Nepal Oil Corporation imported around 2.21 million KL petroleum products worth Rs 110 billion, which is a 40 percent increase from the previ­ous year. An estimated 30 percent of the total import is consumed in the valley. Similarly, the import bill of transport vehicles and their parts totaled Rs 73.7 billion. This is the primary reason for the coun­try’s mounting trade deficits. Add to these costs the continuous need for road widening, development and repairs.

The problem is, we do not under­stand the difference between a street and a road, says Tuladhar. Only well-developed urban roads can be called streets, he explains. “While our ancestors planned their roads, streets and empty places very well. But now we’re designing our cities only for cars”.

From top left: Irina, Tenzing, Rina, Yankee, Ashra

Music has always been a means to raise one’s voice and express dis­satisfaction. Women, once confined to their homes, are also starting to break social chains. Now they rock. Here are the thoughts and experiences of five women of different ages and backgrounds who have done so and made a name for them­selves as professional live musicians.

Rina Giri, 22, performs with the band Melody.

Tenzing H/yolmo, 26, is pas­sionately active in the field of music.

Irina Giri, 23, goes by the stage name Flekke and plays electronic music.

Ashra Kunwar, 23, is the front-woman of the all-girls band JOTs, and is also the win­ner of “Miss Heritage Interna­tional Nepal.”

Yankey Ongmu Lepcha,29, whose band April Rush won the Hits FM Awards for its debut single Tyo Hawa in the ‘new artist’ category, has 15 years of experience in music.

The beginning

Rina: I used to perform in school and college events, and one thing lead to another. I met a band member of Mel­ody while I was in grade 12 and from there I began my live-singing career.

Tenzing: I never thought of being a singer and I have never received official training in music. But I used to record songs as a chorus singer. I consider myself lucky that I started singing with the pop­ular band ‘The Electrix’. The opportunity presented itself and I grabbed it.

Irina: I started with the help of my friend Pranav Manand­har. I was casually asked to play at an event my sister organized. I used to perform in school and even during my stay at Norway. When I was in Vancouver, I attended a live music show, which opened up new avenues for me.

Ashra: It began with the school choir, eventually leading to a performance in the ‘Women in Concert’ in 2014. I was the only art­ist without a record­ing whose audition was selected. The experience encour­aged me, and it kicked off a series of concerts. In 2017 I joined the JOTs band.

Y a n k e y : Coming from a Christian family, I had a strong church and choir background. I also went to a Scottish missionary school where music and singing were an important part of the cur­riculum. I was in grade 10 when I performed in my first stage show.

Inspiration

Rina: Ram and Laxman Dangol, whom I consider my brothers. They encouraged me to perform on stage.

Tenzing: I really don’t know. As I said, I never thought of being a singer and I haven’t thought of what inspired me.

Irina: My family, especially my brother and sisters. They were interested in music, and when I was young they used to buy cassettes and play music, which I also listened to. And movies. I watch a lot of them, and the soundtracks inspire me.

Ashra: From my childhood, I used to listen to the gothic band ‘Evanescence’, whose singer Amy Lee I really liked.

Yankey: All my fellow musicians. I don’t follow or idolize anyone. Every­body is different good in their own ways.

Besides music

Rina: I’m pursuing a bachelor’s degree at the Lalit Kala Campus.

Tenzing: It’s mostly music for me.

Irina: I am a freelancer. I like writing, making music and creating videos.

Ashra: I am pursuing a mas­ter’s degree in Environmental Science. I’m also a founder and project director at an organization that works on women empowerment.

Yankey: I work at a travel and trekking company.

Acceptance

Rina: It’s obviously difficult for a girl to work late nights and expect her family to support her. The first day I remember I came home at 10 pm, my mom got scared and told me to never go out again. I argued with her, and my band members convinced her that they’ll be responsible for my safety.

Tenzing: It was difficult in the beginning—late nights and Thamel. But my parents knew about my passion for music, and when my relatives visited Thamel and heard me sing live, they proudly shared it with my parents.

Irina: My mother will always be worried when I’m not home by a certain time. But I’m also lucky that my family is liberal and under­standing.

Ashra: The difficulty fades away with time. It was a dif­ferent story when I was in school, but now that I’m doing my master’s, my family under­stands and supports me. Usu­ally, my father picks me up after my gigs.

Yankey: It has never been difficult for me to convince my family as they all appreci­ate music and everyone sings and plays an instrument. Plus I started performing and touring from an early age; I didn’t leave them with too many options. Now I’m not only a performer and musi­cian but also the mother of a five-year-old daughter, so I have to consider her mood as well.

Future plans

Rina: I want to focus on non-commercial songs and organize and perform in char­ity shows. I also want to start an all-girls band.

Tenzing: I don’t have any specific plans as such. I will go with the flow and grab any opportunity that comes my way. But music will always be there in my life.

Irina: I don’t have any spe­cific plans either. I will keep pursuing my interests like writing, making music and creating videos.

Ashra: Our band is plan­ning to release an original soon. I’ll be working part-time at ICIMOD. I want to combine my passion for my studies and music to organize a ‘Climate Reality Concert’ every year.

Yankey: Who knows what the future holds? I’ll continue singing as long as my vocal chords support me

Kathmandu: A candlelight vigil was observed at Maitighar Mandala on the evening of March 13 in mem­ory of those killed in the recent US-Bangla plane crash at Tribhuvan International Airport. The event organizer, Sakshyam Foundation Nepal, an organization of health practitioners, expressed condolenc­es for the bereaved family members, and wished eternal peace to the departed souls. Doctors, nurses and health workers attended the vigil.

Foundation Chairman Dr CK Singh said the deaths of many students returning home after completing their medical studies in Bangla­desh was an irreparable loss to the country. The foundation demanded that the government provide proper treatment to the injured.

Fifty-one persons died in the crash, while 21 others are receiving treatment at differ­ent hospitals in Kathmandu. Similarly, students from Nepal Law Campus organized their own candlelight vigil on the same day. RSS

APEX BUREAU: Last week saw a unique three-in-one event at Siddhartha Art Gallery, Babar Mahal Revisited. The focus was on Dolpo and one family in particular. Dorje Dolma talked about her book “Yak Girl” which is her memoir as a young girl growing up in Dolpo. Also on display at the gallery were drawings by herself and her sister, Sumchog Kersbergen.

Following her talk and a demonstration of Dolpo dance there was a showing of a Dutch documentary “The Only Son” which follows her brother Pema’s journey back to their village in Dolpa where his parents wish him to marry. It is interesting to note that all three siblings live overseas—Dorje in America and Sumchog and Pema in The Netherlands.

Meantime, one of family members who does remain in Nepal, is Uncle Tenzin Norbu, a renowned artist whose work appears in many publications, including National Geographic Magazine, and the film Himalaya. Known for his fusion of the traditional and the contemporary, Norbu has exhibited around the world including in the US, France, Switzerland and Japan. While working to preserve the culture and traditions of Dolpo, Norbu supports Shree Siddhartha Kula Mountain Primary School which he founded in his native valley.

Speaking later, Norbu talked about his recent works which incorpo­rate Dolpo and Buddhist dharma into the New York skyline. Anoth­er acknowledges the plight of the planet; informally called Melting Ice Cream, this is about climate change. These works appeal to both his traditional and modern sides and arouse much interest among art critics and students.