Just a few meters ahead, I saw a boy who I later guessed was around 13, chasing after a bus. As he glanced sideways toward it, he tripped and appeared to break his ankle. It was an all-too-common scene in my city.
As I walked along the streets of Kathmandu, I wondered how urgently people rushed by, each under their umbrellas. I followed their heads and umbrella tips and noticed a young lady who almost slipped on the ground and nearly lost hold of a child. Instinctively, I reached for my purse, perhaps because, in that chaotic moment, I imagined it was my purse that had been lost, but it was still firmly strapped under my arm. Returning to the scene, I saw the lady miraculously manage to grab the child before he tumbled into an open drain. The brief panic had made me imagine all sorts of strange outcomes.
Just a few meters ahead, I saw a boy who I later guessed was around 13, chasing after a bus. As he glanced sideways toward it, he tripped and appeared to break his ankle. It was an all-too-common scene in my city. Kathmandu has a bunch of open drains that people often trip over.
These drains are often found around schools, along streets, in the city center, and in the smaller alleyways. Yes, I also believe there should be some form of cover protecting them. Many people, myself and the neighbor lady included, consider them quite an eyesore and an accident waiting to happen. I believe that children, women, and elderly people carrying heavy suitcases while waiting for a bus are among the most common victims.
I was once told that on rainy days, of which we have many, the drains become especially hard to see. Ever since I heard that people are allegedly able to just walk over them unknowingly, I have felt anxious. The thought alone is disturbing.
When it rains, the streets, usually crowded, transform into brown rivers, with bits of trash and sometimes even toys floating in the current. Local flies dive into the murky water and return to any open surfaces, including children’s hands, making the whole scene feel like a public health nightmare.
There is no denying the city’s vibrant growth, though the massive influx of people raises the question of whether the existing drainage systems are still relevant. The broken drainage systems along the streets pose an existential question: should one even venture out, into rush hour traffic and chaotic footpaths, merely to avoid an unattended drainage hole?
Some people believe they are doing their civic duty by placing wooden covers over the drains and doing a bit of cleaning. Such acts, however altruistic, are merely an illusion of problem solving. The local authorities are the only ones with the resources to extend proper drainage solutions and address the issue at scale. The city is in a precarious state. With appropriate areas covered and consistent, friendly signage in place, much could be improved.
Drains pose a dual problem. The risk of bodily harm is obvious, but the psychological toll is far more invasive. Every city dweller, from children to adults, adjusts their behavior to avoid them, creating a kind of invisible barrier to urban freedom. Municipal drainage management should be a top priority. The city must re-engineer the drains to resolve the underlying structural issues. After all, people have the right to infrastructure that enables safe and free movement.
With the city’s continued growth, it is crucial for the authorities to take note of this issue. Open drains reflect the civic sense of the city. Exposed and unattended, they indicate a deep disregard for public safety. A pedestrian-friendly city should let people feel safe and secure.
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