I have come across only one concrete reason for constructing the Outer Ring Road: since the distribution pipeline for the Melamchi project is being placed along the periphery of the valley, a 50-metre ROW Ring Road might as well be built along the same alignment. This project however reminds me of the time when my father, architect Robert Weise, was called by the Anchaladish to plan out the new city of Bharatpur in December 1960. When he got there, he was told that the bulldozers were arriving the very next day and that he should direct them on the alignment of the roads. During the past 44 years, the planning process doesn't seem to have evolved greatly. Instead of jumping from one mega-project to the next, wouldn't it be more credible for the authorities to first show that they are in a position to successfully implement smaller, more intricate projects? Why pump in expensive water into a leaking system? Why build a road out in the green when the inner-city linkages don't function? A road is a catalyst for urbanisation. We first need to comprehend the possible impact this road will have and prepare all necessary controls even before starting the project. In Madhyapur Thimi Municipality, we have been fighting a losing battle trying to preserve agricultural land. My concern is whether the legislative basis will be laid down to make possible the implementation of a 60:40 ratio of green to built-up areas ('A road to the future', #228). Instead of containment of urbanisation, we seem to be heading for more chaotic sprawl.

Kai Weise, Kathmandu

. Kishore Thapa's article on the proposed Outer Ring Road ('A road to the future', #228) creates more confusion than provides answers. The first half of the article talks about the merits of the Kathmandu Valley Long Term Development Plan, which was prepared and endorsed by the government two years ago by publishing it in the Gazette. Page 47 of this plan, however, clearly mentions that the Outer Ring Road should not be constructed and gives four reasons for this. One of the reasons is that the road will promote urban sprawl. I don't understand how Thapa, who is a very respected urban planner and one of the chief architects of the plan, can now claim that the road is Kathmandu's future. No doubt, integrating infrastructure development and landpooling, as proposed by Thapa, are good ideas but it is not clear how he plans to do it.

Currently there are two schools of thought on the Outer Ring Road and the demand for transport in Kathmandu. People in urban Kathmandu want a solution to traffic congestion and people and politicians in rural Kathmandu want access and development in their villages. Both are valid demands, but the Outer Ring Road will serve neither, at least not right now. To address congestion, we need to revamp our transport system with facilities such as Inner Ring Road, improved intersections, better traffic management and segregation of traffic. And to provide better access to rural Kathmandu, we should be thinking about radial roads that will connect these villages to market centres. Trying to solve today's transport problems with an Outer Ring Road will be like trying to put out a fire by adding petrol. Kathmandu may need an Outer Ring Road in the future but that future is at least a decade away.

Bhushan Tuladhar,
Clean Energy Nepal

. It is interesting to see how excited local planners and foreign donors get over projects in the Kathmandu Valley ('A road to the future', #228). If they showed the same enthusiasm for development work in other parts of the country, there would be some balanced development that everyone is talking about.

Bhaju Man, Kathmandu