PM’s detour from everyday politics

Kathmandu - Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal seems to have developed a penchant for doing things out of the box, especially ever since his successful endeavour last month to save a haemorrhaging rural woman, for which he earned accolades aplenty. He squeezed out time from his hectic political schedule to visit the victims of the April uprising two days ago and, on Wednesday, Prime Minister Nepal set out on a brief excursion of the Capital city to learn about people’s lives and sufferings. Prime Minister Nepal and his incumbent team boarded a tourist bus (Ba. 1 Pa. 45), leaving a bevy of journalists, who were present at the Prime Minister’s Office to cover the Cabinet meeting flabbergasted as none had the slightest clue what the Prime Minister and Co. were up to.

“The prime minister wanted to take stock of the problems the Valley denizens are facing. So, the best way was to take a tour,” said the prime minister’s political adviser Bishnu Rijal. Accompanying Prime Minister Nepal were Deputy Prime Minster and Minister for Physical Planning and Works Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar, Home Minister Bhim Rawal, Local Development Minister Purna Kumar Sherma and Labour and Transport Minister Md. Aftab Alam. The concerned secretaries, chief of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Chief and Valley Chief of Nepal Police were also on board. The round trip began from Singha Durbar via Thapathali, Kalimati, Kalanki, Sita Paila, Swoyambhu, Maharajgunj, Lazimpat and Tundikhel.

But that which had started with all smiles did not sum up all too well. A pile of garbage greeted the prime minister at Swoyambhu. The luxury bus failed to save the Prime Minister and Co. from quite a few jolts, thanks to innumerable potholes. And of course, the prime minister—habituated to cruise along roads—witnessed haywire traffic. “He was a bit unhappy,” said Rijal. “He has instructed the line ministries, secretaries and officials concerned to look into the matter and bring forth an integrated plan to improve the condition of road, garbage and traffic.” “The traffic was out of gear, it needs immediate attention,” Home Minister Rawal briefly remarked.