Urban congestion to ease after Khulamanch opens to public

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Nov. 17: The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC), which is rapidly growing into a densely populated urban settlement, is struggling for space due to a lack of manageable public parks, open areas, and green hubs.

Residents hardly find peace and tranquility in the absence of open green spaces. The limited available spaces have been illegally occupied by builders, vendors, and others.

Earlier, visitors entering the Open Stadium premises felt disappointed and stressed due to unorganised parking, temporary structures, and heaps of construction materials.

Open Stadium (Khulamanch), located in the heart of the capital,is being reopened to the public after two years. This historically and socially significant space had been padlocked by Kathmandu Metropolitan City since April 28, 2021.

The current state of the open platform features a grassy lawn and a walkway around it. Natural grass has been planted over 14,600 square meters, making the ground visually appealing.

The planting of Bermuda grass is part of a programme to repair, maintain, improve, and upgrade sports infrastructure, implemented by the Metropolitan City’s Department of Public Construction.

A total of Rs. 69.8 million has been allocated for sports infrastructure work across all wards of the metropolis, with about Rs. 9 million spent specifically on this project, according to KMC. Trees have also been planted in the open area.

A 4-meter-wide walkway has been constructed around the ground. Twenty-one electric poles have been installed along the walkway. These poles were reused from poles removed during the expansion of the New Road walkway. Each pole has two arms—one facing the field with a 100-watt light and the other facing the walkway with a 30-watt light. The lights are equipped with day-night sensors, automatically turning on at night and off during the day.

Nabin Manandhar, spokesperson for KMC, said that preparations are underway to open the Open Stadium to the public soon, though the official opening date has not yet been fixed.

The open platform will serve as a multipurpose space accessible to everyone. It will be a place for physical exercise in the morning, a space for children to play freely, and a place for the elderly to stroll, relax, and observe city life. It will also be suitable for morning walks and a venue for youth to enjoy sports. The area will be ideal for playing games like volleyball and badminton.

The Kathmandu Metropolitan City signed a memorandum of understanding with a Government of Nepal-owned infrastructure construction company on April 22, 2024, to collaborate on infrastructure construction and consulting. Based on the same agreement, another agreement was reached on May 6 for grading and levelling the Open Stadium.

Once grading and levelling work is complete, water will no longer accumulate in the courtyard, and surface water will be recharged. For this purpose, six water recharge pits, each 4 feet in diameter and 4 feet in depth, have been constructed in the courtyard.

Previously, with the construction of Kathmandu Tower, the Open Stadium was used for public transport operations to and from the area. A bus park is operated by covering the space between the platform and Ratna Park with black sheets.

The area was also used during the reconstruction of Bir Hospital and Durbar High School, which were damaged in the 2015 earthquake. During this period, construction materials were stored here, temporary schools operated, and housing for workers was built on the premises.