Kathmandu: A two-day national conference on smart urban planning and development has started in Kathmandu. Speakers at the conference, organised by the Nepal PhD Association in collaboration with various government and non-government organisations, discussed the necessary policies and regulations required to advance systematic urbanisation and the practices followed in different countries.
According to National News Agency Nepal, Vice Chancellor of Nepal University, Dr Bindunath Lohani, emphasized that special attention should be given to necessary infrastructure, transportation, environment, and pollution control when developing smart cities. He stressed that smart cities should incorporate air, water, and solar energy systems.
Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Urban Development, Navaraj Pyakurel, stated that the government has formulated urban policies and is working towards their implementation. He highlighted the common issue of plans and policies not being implemented effectively and assured that the Ministry would consider the suggestions provided by the conference.
Commissioner Januka Dhakal of the Kathmandu Valley Development Authority (KVDA) expressed her confidence that feedback from such conferences would aid in the construction of future smart cities. She noted that the KVDA, established in 2012, aims to build a smart city and acknowledged past mistakes of constructing cities without proper study.
Prof Dr Lekhnath Sharma, Chairman of the Policy Research Institute, pointed out the importance of transforming old structures into new ones when constructing smart cities. He underlined the need for effective implementation of urban policy.
Former Minister Ganesh Shah highlighted the necessity of raising awareness among people’s representatives about smart city construction. He advocated for the maximum use of local resources in building smart cities.
Representatives of UN-Habitat and WWF, Pragya Pradhan and Dr Ghanashyam Gurung, respectively, stressed the importance of long-term plans for sustainable urban development. They emphasized the priority of implementing a ‘water recharge system’ in smart cities.
Dr Sunil Babu Shrestha, president of the Nepal PhD Association, noted the rapid rise in urbanisation in Nepal and stressed the need for appropriate policies and plans. He revealed that 56 percent of the Nepali population currently resides in urban areas and called for urban policies to be advanced from the central to the local government levels. Dr Shrestha concluded that the conference’s suggestions would be formalized as the Kathmandu Declaration and implemented accordingly.