As Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) prepares for a new fiscal year, the spotlight is back on Mayor Balen Shah. After over three years in office, a fresh budget performance review shows that while Shah has made notable strides, major urban issues remain unresolved.
💰 Budget Utilization: Rising But Still Underwhelming
Between fiscal years 2022/23 and 2024/25, KMC allocated an estimated NPR 72.87 billion. However, according to official municipal records, only NPR 34.56 billion — about 47% — has been spent.📈 Key figures:- FY 2022/23: Infrastructure budget usage below 30%- FY 2023/24: Uptick to 44% utilization- FY 2024/25: Touched 52% — highest in 7 years“Shah’s financial discipline has improved, but execution gaps are still wide in key social service sectors,” said fiscal analyst Ramesh Bhattarai.
🏙️ Public Expectations vs. Reality
Mayor Shah ran on a bold urban reform platform — promising a clean, walkable, tech-friendly Kathmandu. But many locals feel the promises have not matched delivery.📌 Persistent Urban Issues:- Garbage pileups in wards 7, 17, and 25- Drainage & sewage failures during monsoon season- Traffic congestion worsened despite vehicle bans in some zones- Unregulated construction in heritage zones👉 Residents complain about inconsistent waste collection and lack of progress in projects like the Bishnumati Corridor or Digital Smart Poles Initiative.
📍 What Worked: Efficiency in Admin and Road Projects by Mayor Balen Shah
On a positive note, Shah’s administration:- Delivered 300+ km of inner-road blacktopping- Digitized over 50% of citizen services at ward offices- Restructured KMC’s finance and procurement wings for faster clearance“Unlike his predecessors, Shah pushed for transparency in tenders and actively discouraged political favoritism,” said Shanti Lama, a civil society observer.
⚖️ Criticism and Governance Challenges for Mayor Balen Shah
Despite his independent image, Shah has struggled with internal governance:- No clear coordination with the federal Ministry of Urban Development- Political tensions with Ward Chairs and opposition parties- Refusal to engage with CAO Saroj Guragain during recent assembly meetings drew criticism
🗣️ Voices from the Street
“He talks about change, but my neighborhood still floods with every rainfall,” said Sushila Maharjan from Kalimati.“To be fair, roads are better than before, but garbage pickup is irregular,” said Binod Shrestha from Kapan.
⏳ One Year Left: Make or Break for Mayor Balen Shah
Mayor Shah now enters the final fiscal cycle of his tenure. Experts believe his legacy will be decided in the next 10–12 months.“Urban governance is about results. If he cannot deliver on sanitation, mobility, and housing in the last year, his legacy will be as incomplete as his projects,” said Prof. Madhav Adhikari, Tribhuvan University.
🔍 Conclusion
Mayor Balen Shah remains a figure of intrigue — charismatic, ambitious, but often battling the very system he seeks to reform. While budget performance is trending upward, the people of Kathmandu still await the real change they voted for.
