KATHMADNU CITY-SETTLEMENT GEOGRAPHY

KATHMANDU VALLEY PROFILE

LOCATION

Kathmandu Valley lies between the latitudes 27º 32’ 13” and 27º 49’ 10” north and
longitudes 85º 11’ 31” and 85º 31’ 38” east and is located at a mean elevation of about
1,300 meters (4,265 feet) above sea level.

High
sandstone mountain ranges stand all around these districts such as Phulchowki in the South
East, Chandragiri/Champa Devi in the South West, Shivapuri in the North West, and
Nagarkot in the North East (Figure 2). The altitude of these mountains varies around 1500
meters to 2800 meters (Baniya, 2008). The three major river systems in the valley are the
Bagmati, Bishnumati, and Manohara. There are lakes and ponds also in all three districts.

Ancient history of the Kathmandu valley says that it was a huge lake which was settled after
draining away all the water through Chobhar gorge by a Chinese Saint. Early settlements
were around very few places. Townships developed and flourished through Indo-Nepal-
Tibet trade. Though many small towns were established by the second century A.D. and
urban centers by the 11th century, according to the records, urbanization of the valley
commenced in the late 1950s, accelerating during the 1970s. According to the population
census of 2001, Kathmandu district had the biggest urban population and the highest
number of households in Nepal.

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KATHMANDU VALLEY IN 3D PERSPECTIVE

CLIMATE
The climate of Kathmandu Valley is sub-tropical cool temperate with maximum of 35.6°C in
April and minimum of –3°C in January and 75% annual average humidity. The temperature
in general is 19°C to 27°C in summer and 2°C to 20°C in winter. The average rainfall is 1400
millimeters, most of which falls during June to August.

ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISIONS
Kathmandu Valley comprises of three districts, Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur,
together which cover an area of 899 square kilometers, whereas the area of the Valley as a
whole is 665 square kilometers. The Valley encloses the entire area of Bhaktapur district,
85% of Kathmandu district and 50% of Lalitpur district.

The three valley districts have a total of 150 local administrative units (Village Development
Committees and Municipalities) out of which five city governments have the highest
population and economic activities. With more than 1.5 million people, (220,000
households) the Kathmandu Valley is the most important urban concentration in Nepal.
Being a capital city, Kathmandu Valley in comparison to the rest of Nepal, possesses basic
amenities like water supplies, electricity, gas, telecommunications, roads, sanitation,
education, security, and transportation. New products and services are first launched in the
valley and therefore the inhabitants have access to modern equipment and technology.
New technologies and interventions come to the valley first, and this technological
sophistication along with other amenities is an important pull factor for rural to urban
migration.

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Kathmandu Valley (KV) is the urban center of Nepal and includes five major cities:
Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Kirtipur, and Thimi (refer to map in page 3). Kathmandu
Metropolitan City (KMC) is the largest city in Nepal and the cosmopolitan heart of the
Himalayan region. With a history and culture dating back 2,000 years, the city, along with
the other towns in the Valley, ranks among the oldest human settlements in central
Himalaya. Old Kathmandu corresponds to the current city core, encompassing a compact
zone of temple squares and narrow streets. The old royal palace complex of Durbar Square,
is in the center of Old Kathmandu and has been designated as a World Heritage site by
UNESCO.

KATHMANDU VALLEY ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISIONS

MAJOR ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES

Kathmandu is the centre for several major industries such as carpets, garments, finance and
tourism, as well as health and educational services. This is mainly due to the lack of essential
infrastructure and services in other parts of the country. According to one estimate, the
Kathmandu Metropolitan City's economic output is worth more than Rs.170 billon per year.
Trade accounts for 21% of its finances. Manufacturing comes next in importance with 19%.
Kathmandu is a major manufacturer and exporter of garments and woolen carpets. Other

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sectors are agriculture (9%), education (6%), transport (6%) and hotels and restaurants (5%).
Tourism is also a key component of the city's economy.

DEMOGRAPHIC SITUATION OF KATHMANDU VALLEY

According to CBS, (2003a) the population of the three districts of Kathmandu valley
increased from 1,107,370 in 1991 to 1,647,092 in 2001. The annual population growth rate
in Kathmandu district was 4.71%, increasing at twice the national rate of 2.2%. The
population of Kathmandu district was 675,341 in 1991 (3.6% of Nepal's population) and
1,081,845 in 2001 (4.6% of Nepal's population). The population density (Number of persons
per square kilometre) of Kathmandu district was 1,069 in 1981; 1,710 in 1991, and 2,739 in
2001. The details of district wise population distribution and density are presented below
respectively.

DISTRIBUTION OF POPULATION BY DISTRICT

POPULATION DENSITY BY DISTRICT

According to CBS (2003a) the three districts of Kathmandu valley consist of 5 of the 58
municipalities in the country and 114 VDCs. Urban areas are classified into Metropolitan
Cities, Sub-Metropolitan Cities, and Municipalities as per the Local Self Governance Act,
1999. As per this Act, there are three municipalities (Bhaktapur, Madhyapur, and Kirtipur),
one sub-metropolitan city (Lalitpur), and one metropolitan city (Kathmandu). The
population in designated urban areas of Kathmandu valley had increased considerably

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about 5 times in 2001 than 1952/54. The details of urban population growth trend are
shown below.

URBAN POPULATION GROWTH TREND

HIGH DENSITY IN KATHMANDU VALLEY

Urbanization had not been uniform throughout the country. Most urbanized areas were in
Kathmandu valley, which contributes significantly to the overall urbanization status of the
country. The urban population density of Kathmandu valley was 10,265 (the population is
995,966 and the area 97 sq. km) (CBS, 2003a). On the other hand, the rural population is
also increasing slowly in the valley. The average annual growth of the rural population was
comparatively higher than for Nepal as a whole. The rest of the average annual growth rates
are given below.

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AVERAGE ANNUAL GROWTH RATE OF URBAN AND RURAL POPULATION

LAND USE

KATHMANDU METROPOLITAN CITY

Dominant land use type in Kathmandu municipality is mixed which mostly comprises
residential and commercial areas. It occupies 2592.7 hectares, or 48.88% of the total area. A
total of eighteen land use types are found in this municipality. The road area also occupies a
significant land area (386.52 hectare).

LALITPUR MINICIPALITY

Residential and commercial area classified as mixed land use covers the largest part the
Lalitpur municipal area, comprising 673.06 hectares, followed by cultivation and institutional
areas.

BHAKTAPUR MUINICIPALITY

Cultivation dominates land use types among all other types in the Bhaktapur area which
occupies 383.97 hectares of the total municipal area. It is followed by mixed land use with
145.467 hectares. Institutional area falls third with 34.86 hectares.

KIRTIPUR MUNICIPALITY

According to the area calculated from the GIS database, the largest portion in the Kirtipur
municipality is occupied by cultivation, followed by plantation. Mixed land use, comprised of
residential and commercial area, covers 163.05 hectares of the total area.

MADHYAPUR THIMI MUNICIPALITY

Cultivation covers the largest portion of the Madhyapur Thimi municipal area totaling
712.26

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hectares. Mixed area of residential and commercial type is second, followed by institutional
area comprising 85.58 hectares.

A review of the land use indicates that two municipalities: KMC and LSMC are dominated by
mixed land uses, which are used for residential and commercial purposes. In the remaining
three municipalities along with other Village Development Committees in the valley, a
significant percent of land use is cultivation land. This past trend in urbanization indicates
that these cultivation areas are most susceptible to haphazard urbanization.

EXISTING LANDUSE MAP OF KATHMANDU

PRESENST ISSUES AND CONCERNS

The informal process of settlement development in the last several years has created
several
physical, social and environmental problems in Kathmandu Valley. The fragile KV eco-system
is severely affected by ever-expanding urban development and incompatible economic

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activities. Some of the most visible consequences of the haphazard development are listed
below.

RIVER POLLUTION

Drainage is a significant problem in Kathmandu. Due to an inadequate and technically

unsound drainage system, water backlogging is very common in many areas of the city. In
most places, both storm water drainage and sewerage has been combined. Many illegal
sewerage connections into the storm water drains are common. At this time, there is no
mechanism for KMC or other municipalities and the Department of Sewerage to check these
illegal connections. Although there are some waste water treatment systems in Kathmandu
Valley, these are not functional and as a result waste water from the drains and sewers are
discharged directly into the Bagmati, Bishnumati, Dhobi Khola and other rivers of KV
without treatment. Along with an increase in population and unplanned and haphazard
urbanization, the city is becoming an example of a terribly polluted city with open sewers
and unhygienic disposal of waste leading to the pollution of all the existing rivers in
Kathmandu.

The three major rivers—Bagmati, Bishnumati and Dhobi-Khola—which flow through the
heart of KMC were in ancient times the jewels of the city, but have now turned into open
sewer. Over the years the unplanned and haphazard growth of the city has caused an
adverse affect on the condition of the rivers both environmentally and hygienically. The
riverbanks have been encroached and squatter settlements are found in abundance in some
stretches where other parts are barren or unused. The rivers are growing increasingly dirty
and polluted due to the direct discharge of wastewater from the households.

More than fifty percent of the population living in the city area is discharging their
wastewater directly into these rivers. The disposal of the sewage from the manufacturing
and industries into the rivers is also causing tremendous industrial waste discharge. The
cumulative household, industrial, and manufacturing discharge of wastewater is having
adverse hygienic and environmental effects on the river.

For myriad of health, environmental, and economic reasons, the rivers are in dire need of
attention. Careful sustainable planning and management based on a deep and shared
knowledge of the technical and social issues linked to river management in the urban
context is critical for the improvement and preservation of one of the most important
environmental, social, and economic resources. The sustainable river management in urban
areas is not well known and adopted in Nepal. Despite of their fundamental role since
ancient times as the first place of urbanization, riverside areas are frequently afflicted by
tremendous problems of overcrowding, conflicting uses, and pollution, often due to the

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absolute lack of planning and management. Sadly this has manifested into reality in the case
of the Kathmandu Valley.

AIR POLLUTION

Unplanned settlements, poor road networks, and conflicting land uses lead to air pollution
caused by emissions from vehicle plying along narrow and winding streets. To improve the
air quality of Kathmandu, the government has banned diesel and gasoline based three-
wheelers and closed down a local cement factory. In addition, better coordination between
municipalities and Ministry of Environment need to be established and at the same time
conflicting acts also need to be modified or amended to address the issue of air pollution.

SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL

Illegal dumping of waste in the common areas like riverbanks, public land, and unplanned
settlements is still common. Those areas are either not served by the municipal solid waste
collection system or the community is not organized to handle the problem. Due to rapid
urbanization, agricultural lands are being developed into housing which poses serious
problems such as the renewal of ground water resources, air pollution, and loss of greenery.
Supplies of cereals and vegetables are mainly imported into Kathmandu. A new waste
management technology and system urgently needs to be introduced to address the
present waste problem due to rapid population growth, rapid urbanization, and a change in
the composition of waste. Another perennial problem in waste disposal has been the use of
landfill sites. The landfill sites have been a very sensitive issue for a long time, often arousing
vicious opposition from the adjacent communities, severely interrupting waste collection
and disposal in the city areas.

TRAFFIC CONGESTION

Conflicting land uses, unplanned and haphazard construction, inadequate road network,
and inefficient transport management are creating severe traffic congestion during peak
commuting periods in the city. Due to the lack of proper road networks connecting the city
center and semiurban areas, public transport cannot operate effectively in a semi-urban
settlement. New roads connecting north-south of Kathmandu along the riverbanks in
Kathmandu, inner and outer ring road construction need to be built to curb traffic
congestion and air pollution in the city.

LAND SPECULATION

Due to the absence of the provision of social housing or the housing for the economically
weak sector/society, there is a great demand of land especially for the construction of

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houses. There is no alternative option other than to buy a piece of land and build the house.
As a consequence, the demand and the cost of land in Kathmandu is very high. Land
speculation is a characteristic of urban development and this trend is detrimental to the
planned growth of the city and proper expansion of basic services to the people. Land
brokers and housing development companies hold huge parcels of land in urban fringe
areas for speculative purposes.

LOSS OF CULTURAL HERITAGE

Due to the excessive pressure of commercial activities along with unplanned and haphazard
growth of the city, the cultural heritage of Kathmandu Valley is gradually eroding. Historic
ponds, courtyards, public places and playing fields are being converted into public buildings
and private property. Traditional “Guthi” (trust) responsible for management of public land
have become inactive in preserving such land. Most of the lands belonging to the trust are
slowly being converted to commercial uses by the private companies. These private
companies acquire land from the trust on lease out basis and build commercial centers.

CHANGE IN LANDUSE

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    AREA IN HECTARE  
LAND USE CLASS 1989 1999 2006
AGRICULTURE 13350 12944 14420
BARE SOIL 17434 23742 21140
BUILT UP 2454 4366 5732
FOREST 28044 28366 31509
OPEN AREA 26266 18680 15267
WATER 943 393 423
TOTAL 88491 88491 88491

The bar chart below visually quantifies the six land uses in each date and can be interpreted
transitions between different land use classes. The Built up area had increased and water
class decreased by more than two folds during the study period. The chart shows that the

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Open area land class was also the most decreased class followed by Bare soil land class. The
rest of the land uses had not changed significantly.

BAR CHART SHOWING LAND USE QUANTIZATION IN 1989, 1999 AND 2006

EXISTING DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTIONS IN KATHAMNDU

Various national and local institutions are involved in developing settlements and urban
development activities of Kathmandu urban areas and the Valley as a whole. Apart from the
KMC, LSMC and the three municipalities, there are several central government agencies
working in KV. They are the Department of Land Reform and Management, Department of
Housing and Construction, Kathmandu Valley Town Development Committee under the
Ministry of Physical Planning and Construction, Department of Roads, Water Supply and
Sewerage Corporation, Village Development Committees and District Development
Committees. There is a lack of cooperation and coordination between these institutions for
effective planning and implementation of urban infrastructure development activities within
KMC and Kathmandu Valley.

PROPOSALS – PLANNING MODERN KATHAMNDU

Aimed to preserve heritage & guide urban devoloment through landuse planning to prevent
sprawl in city fringe & ensure settlement densification.

Stratergy- by reinforcing transportation linkages .nkage of dispersed settlement

,continuation of existance growth tendencies of kathmandu –patan complex & the bipolar
devolopment of bhaktapur by reinforcing transportaion linkages .

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Town devolopment implementation act 1972,formulated 3 broad zoning,city core (zone a )

kathmandu& lalitpur (zone b ), bhaktapur(zone c).led to the devoloment of ring road
,significantly accelerated urbanisation.plans were reluctant to address long term problems.

New structural plan-undp& world bank 1987 aimed to provide guidelines for physical
devolopment of metropolitan region for year 2010.Major political situation plan was
shelved.

1991,integrated plans to be implemented in new democratic enviromentfocused on

perpheral area outside ring road,area beyond boundary recommendation related to
landuse(land pooling) & infrastructure.

PROPOSALS FOR PLANNING MODERN KATHAMNDU

POLICIES FOR LONG TERM DEVELOPMENT OF KATHMANDU VALLEY

The long-term development concept for the valley was approved by the government in 2002
and has adopted the following policies. These policies can be taken as the guiding principle
for ensuring planned development of the city and valley as a whole.

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 A valley wide apex body—e.g. Kathmandu Valley Development Authority—to be

formed with proportionate representation of local bodies.
 Job opportunities shall be decentralized so that people can settle in any location of
the valley.
 Delineation of rural and urban boundaries so that separate planning standards can
be enforced in rural and urban areas.
 Investments should be channelized to certain sectors only so that densification,
development of new towns and allocation of future land can be delineated.
 A system of planning permitting and environmental impact assessment shall be
introduced.
 Tourism-related activities shall be promoted and polluting industries shall be
relocated to other towns outside Kathmandu.
 Bhaktapur and other traditional settlements to be declared cultural towns.
 Kathmandu to be declared a single administrative entity.
 Protection of public parks and watershed areas.
 Development of Cottage industries.
 Relocation of security establishments to fringe areas.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

 June, 1969; the physical development plan for the kathamndu valley.
 Pant P. R; Kathmandu Valley Profile
 Bhandari S; Urban Change Monitoring Using GIS and Geospatial Tools

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