URBAN KNOWLEDGE PLATFORM Nepal

Overview Urbanization Trend Urbanization Trend Experiences Experiences Major Achievements Major Achievements Issues and Problems Issues and Problems Challenges Challenges Lessons Learnt Lessons Learnt

Urbanization Trend YearTotal population (Millions) No. of municipalities Urban population (‘000) Level of Urbanization

Key Experiences Traditional towns planned as compact settlements with inclusive designs Traditional towns planned as compact settlements with inclusive designs Conventional land use and physical development plans Conventional land use and physical development plans Failure of Physical Development Plans Failure of Physical Development Plans Innovations in planning like Integrated Action Planning, Periodic Plans Innovations in planning like Integrated Action Planning, Periodic Plans Land Development: GLD, Land pooling, etc. Land Development: GLD, Land pooling, etc. Urban Regeneration/Upgrading. Urban Regeneration/Upgrading. Real estate development and organized housing and financing. Real estate development and organized housing and financing.

Major Achievements Land development programs have guided the provision of infrastructure. Land development programs have guided the provision of infrastructure. Opening up of new resources with increased access to land: land pooling projects made lots of resources available and made them more accessible to people. Opening up of new resources with increased access to land: land pooling projects made lots of resources available and made them more accessible to people. Empowerment and decentralization with stronger local leadership through capacity building and innovations in planning. Empowerment and decentralization with stronger local leadership through capacity building and innovations in planning. People are empowered with increase in awareness as they become engaged in community action for urban development and environment improvement. People are empowered with increase in awareness as they become engaged in community action for urban development and environment improvement. Increasing access to finance for housing, real estate, and urban development. Enormous investments were made in housing and real estates. Savings mobilized through housing finance and infrastructure investments. Increasing access to finance for housing, real estate, and urban development. Enormous investments were made in housing and real estates. Savings mobilized through housing finance and infrastructure investments.

Issues and problems Increasing disparity with regional imbalances and formation of slums and squatters Increasing disparity with regional imbalances and formation of slums and squatters Adverse impacts of globalization in terms of livability and poverty reduction with exposure to unsustainable culture from out side Adverse impacts of globalization in terms of livability and poverty reduction with exposure to unsustainable culture from out side Sprawl growth and environmental and commuting problems Sprawl growth and environmental and commuting problems Under-utilization of existing infrastructure already in place Under-utilization of existing infrastructure already in place Poor maintenance and operation of public utilities Poor maintenance and operation of public utilities Irregular provision of services Irregular provision of services Decreasing access of the poor to shelter, jobs, infrastructure, and services also due to market distortion Decreasing access of the poor to shelter, jobs, infrastructure, and services also due to market distortion Increasing cost of environmental services Increasing cost of environmental services Lack of good governance: unwillingness to serve the people, lack of accountability etc. Lack of good governance: unwillingness to serve the people, lack of accountability etc.

Challenges Increasing deprivation, exclusion, and conflicts Increasing deprivation, exclusion, and conflicts Provision of housing, infrastructure and services to the growing population while reducing per capita GHG emissions Provision of housing, infrastructure and services to the growing population while reducing per capita GHG emissions Mitigation of Climate Change impacts while coping with growing economic activities Mitigation of Climate Change impacts while coping with growing economic activities Failure to adapt to and cope with climate change disasters lead to environmental deterioration in cities Failure to adapt to and cope with climate change disasters lead to environmental deterioration in cities Worsening condition of environment with depletion of environmental resources Worsening condition of environment with depletion of environmental resources Decreasing productivity due to lack of adequate infrastructure and services Decreasing productivity due to lack of adequate infrastructure and services

Lessons Learnt As conventional ways have proved to be not sufficient, the traditional ways will also co-exist in the production of urban services. As conventional ways have proved to be not sufficient, the traditional ways will also co-exist in the production of urban services. The blending of the two should be based on combined sustainability. The blending of the two should be based on combined sustainability. In order to ensure the viability of community produced services, these need to be integrated with the city wide networks. In order to ensure the viability of community produced services, these need to be integrated with the city wide networks.

It is not necessarily good for a society in transition to move to modern ways of living. The need to depend on the community decreases as the family income increases but this is not the solution as the family during the transition sacrifices most of the things it had been enjoying. It is not necessarily good for a society in transition to move to modern ways of living. The need to depend on the community decreases as the family income increases but this is not the solution as the family during the transition sacrifices most of the things it had been enjoying. Integrate culture and development by working with the people and providing them technological options to make full use of the cultural resources. Integrate culture and development by working with the people and providing them technological options to make full use of the cultural resources. Encourage training and HRD activities and build capacity for inclusive designs. Encourage training and HRD activities and build capacity for inclusive designs.

Nepal’s traditional towns are becoming less inclusive over time due to the failure to transform in line with the modern trends. Nepal’s traditional towns are becoming less inclusive over time due to the failure to transform in line with the modern trends. There is an erosion of cultural and religious values. There is an erosion of cultural and religious values. There is a shift towards unsustainable ways of living. Reliance on outside economies is increasing. There is a shift towards unsustainable ways of living. Reliance on outside economies is increasing. Cities face increasing and a diverse set of problems relating to different population cohorts/groups. Cities face increasing and a diverse set of problems relating to different population cohorts/groups. The failure to retain social networks with mutual help leads to the loss of inclusiveness in the society. The failure to retain social networks with mutual help leads to the loss of inclusiveness in the society.

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