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Sima Poudel, a college student, relies on public transportation to reach her college. For her, it is the most exhausting part of her day.

“You rarely find a bus on time, and even if you do, it is overcrowded,” she says.

Poudel’s personal struggle with public transport represents the reality faced by most public transport commuters in Kathmandu.

According to findings of the Asian Transport Outlook (ATO), 2023, Scoping Urban Transport in Kathmandu, high access to bus stops does not necessarily translate into high transit mode share. While 56 percent of the Kathmandu population lives within walking distance of public transportation, only  28 percent actually use public or informal transit. This mismatch can be attributed to several factors, including poor service, overcrowding, safety and comfort. Limited investment in public transport has hindered the much-needed improvements, leaving the system inefficient and frustrating for passengers.

This extends beyond discomfort. For many women, public transports are a space of vulnerability.
Anjila Pokharel recalls the long-lasting effect of harassment on the bus, which affected her daily work life. While travelling from her home to Sundhara, she experienced inappropriate behaviour from a middle-aged man that triggered fear and long-term anxiety.

“That incident had a lasting impact on my mental health,” she shares. “I used  to feel terrified afterwards, and the memory of that haunted me for a long period.”

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), sexual harassment can result in severe mental health consequences, including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, and trauma. This all can significantly alter how survivors engage with public life. 

Although the International Association of Public Transport, a worldwide association representing all local public transport stakeholders, states that public transport offers equal opportunities to all citizens, regardless of their social standing, the reality in Nepal tells a different story. While buses and microbuses may physically connect people, they often fail to ensure a safe and equitable environment for everyone.

Sabina Rai witnessed a conductor yelling at an old passenger who was confused about the bus route. “It was upsetting to watch the conductor telling off a person double his age,”Rai recalls. When another person tried to intervene, the conductor continued his rude behavior. The incident shows that public transport operators and their staff are not concerned with the safety and comfort of passengers. 

Public transports are supposed to be accessible and affordable, but the reality is entirely different in Nepal. Even the elderly and disabled are not accorded the respect and care they deserve. Designated seats for seniors and disabled are often ignored.

Bivek Limbu, who lost one of his legs in a motorcycle accident, says a lack of disabled-friendly transport has made his traveling experience very difficult.
“I travel daily from Bhaktapur to Chabahil, but it's difficult getting into and off a bus,” he says. According to the Nepal Census 2021, 2.2 percent of the Nepali population lives with some form of disability, and for them, navigating public transport is often exclusionary. Limbu’s experience showcases daily struggles faced by people with disabilities who are forced to adopt a system that was never built for them

Another pressing but under-discussed issue is the lack of proper CCTV surveillance in public vehicles. 

This absence makes theft, assault, and misconduct go unchecked. Reema BK once left her purse on a bus. While she was able to find the bus with the help of traffic police,  her belongings were never recovered. “While it is the responsibility of passengers to take care of their items, sometimes the level of security and accountability must also be ensured,” BK says.

While Nepal struggles with poorly regulated public transport, its neighbouring country India has made notable progress in the past years. In order to reduce harassment cases, Delhi Metro has introduced CCTV surveillance, panic buttons, and safety protocols that make commuting safer. Additionally, many buses are equipped with digital payment systems and a tracking app to ensure reliability. 

While in Nepal, only a small number of buses have adopted these practices. These successful initiatives from South-Asian countries can serve as a model for Nepal to reduce problematic concerns over public transport efficiency and safety.

The public transport problem not only affects the passengers, but also its staff members. Shyam Kumar Shrestha says that his brother has been working as a nighttime driver along the Butwal–Kathmandu route. “Despite working long, grueling hours, his wages are often delayed,” he says. Exploitation of drivers, conductors and maintenance workers by transport operators ultimately affects service quality and passenger safety.
While discussing the problems of public transport, concerned authorities focus on the surface-level issues, such as overcrowded buses or traffic congestion. But improving public transport also requires inclusive planning that prioritises both individual needs and the collective welfare of people.

Twenty-eight-year-old Neema Sherpa from Kathmandu vividly recalls the incident when she became a victim of a hit-and-run case. “The bike hit me when I was crossing the road at the zebra crossing,” she explains. Although a zebra crossing is designed for pedestrian safety, her experiences raise serious questions about riders’ accountability and the enforcement of traffic rules.

The rising cases of accidents underscore the critical importance of road safety to ensure a safer transportation system.  Bibek Thapaliya, a bike rider from Kathmandu, says with the rise of traffic accidents, his parents are worried about his safety. Thapaliya’s parents are not alone. Rajani Karki reflects her experience as a parent. “I remember the day when I allowed my daughter to ride a scooter on the road. My anxiety grew when she didn’t come home on time,” she says. 

This incident raises questions not only about the state of road safety but also about the psychological stress that families endure amid rising accident cases. Despite these fears, not all riders exercise caution. One  anonymous rider from Kathmandu admits to frequently violating the traffic rules. “When stuck in a jam, many young riders, including myself, tend to violate rules in an attempt to get ahead,” he says. 

Peer behaviour and pressure often contribute to such recklessness among young riders. This tendency is supported by research from the US National Library of Medicine, which found that peer influence is a pervasive force during adolescence, one that shapes adaptive and maladaptive attitudes and behaviours. 

Pasang Tenzing Lama, another rider, believes that young people today have the mentality to impress others rather than riding responsibly. “I have seen many cases of motorcycle accidents involving young riders who were careless on the road,” he says.

Overspeeding, stunt riding, and a lack of proper safety gear are common among young riders. For many, owning a motorcycle is more than just about transportation.  “Besides avoiding the daily chaos of public transport, owning a motorcycle is also about freedom and style,” says Anish Regmi, a motorcycle rider.

But when personal satisfaction takes precedence over public safety, the consequences can be dire.

Aryan Karki (name changed), a young rider from Kathmandu, recalls his life upside down when his motorcycle collided with a bus, leaving him with multiple fractures and injuries. Karki says one moment sent him to bed for over eight months. The emotional and psychological toll of that incident still haunts Karki. “Yes, motorcycles are convenient, but a minor error can lead to years of suffering,” he says. 

Motorcycles account for the highest share of road accidents in Nepal. According to the data of Nepal Police, 25,788 vehicles were involved in accidents in the fiscal year 2019/20, and 10,869 of those vehicles were motorcycles. In the fiscal year 2020/21, out of 33,135 vehicles involved in road accidents, 17,087 were motorcycles.  In the fiscal year 2021/22, there 39,379 vehicles were involved in road accidents, and 19,974 were motorcycles. The fiscal year 2022/23 saw 23,597 accidents involving 37,393 vehicles, including 19,511 motorcycles. In the fiscal year 2023/24, 22,927 accidents were reported, with 35,404 vehicles involved, of which 19,984  were motorcycles.

So far, in the current fiscal year 2024/25, 22,860 accidents occurred, involving 34,358 vehicles, including 20,183 motorcycles, which is a high number of motorcycles being involved in accidents in these five years. In the same year, serious injuries peaked at 12,655. These data from the last five years represent the growing issue of motorcycle accidents. These disturbing cases demand urgent attention and public safety interventions. The data depicts that motorcycle involvement has remained consistently high, and they are contributing to a larger share of deaths and serious injuries.

Uttam Shrestha, a taxi driver, elaborates on the risky behavior he observes among young riders. “Young bikes are often overconfident and they are always in a hurry to get ahead ,” he says. “I believe basic traffic education must be a mandatory part of driving training.”

Sahadev Sinjali, another taxi driver, says another issue affecting road safety is the use of mobile phones and earphones while riding. “When your concentration is elsewhere while riding a vehicle, you risk yourself and others,” he says.

Shyam Kumar Subedi, who has over 15 years of motorcycle riding experience, says youths today need to understand the real impact of careless riding.

A Kathmandu-based emergency doctor warns about both physical and psychological damage from road accidents. “Some injuries can be life-threatening. Others can cause lasting mental trauma,” he says. 

He also points out how social media is promoting reckless riding. “Young people today watch dangerous motorcycle stunts and they are eager to imitate them, without proper safety gear, unaware of the risks,” he says.

Traffic police acknowledge the rising case of motorcycle accidents and say they are taking steps. They say while road safety awareness programs are being run, speed-monitoring systems have been installed, and routing traffic checks are being performed, these initiatives alone will not ensure road safety as long as the person behind the vehicle is not cautious. 

Twenty three-year-old Samana Karki (name changed) woke up one early morning after receiving a barrage of disturbing messages. Someone had misused her photo to create a fake Facebook account to disseminate inappropriate contents. Karki was shocked. “I felt helpless,” she recalls.

Karki’s story reflects a broader, alarming trend of online harassment and misuse of digital platforms, raising questions about user safety and accountability in Nepal’s digital landscape.

According to DataReportal, 16.5m internet users were identified in Jan 2025, making up 55.8 percent of Nepal’s total population. As new media technologies, like social media, enable users to interact in two-way communication, the misuse of it has also grown. Most of these crimes appear on social media platforms like Facebook, Messenger, TikTok, WhatsApp, and Instagram.

Ramesh Thapa, central spokesperson of Nepal Police, says that social media as a tool for information sharing is being misused as a medium for cybercrime in recent days. As per Nepal Police, Annual Factsheet on Cyber Crime, complaints related to cybercrime increased by 119 percent in the fiscal year 2023/24 compared to 2022/23. The highest number of cybercrime cases was registered at the Cyber Bureau, while Sudurpashchim Province recorded the lowest. Among those affected, 44.32 percent were women.

Individuals facing harassment on social media in Nepal are protected under various legal provisions. Section 47 of the Electronic Transaction Act, 2063, criminalizes the act of teasing, harassing, or insulting an individual through an electronic medium. In sections 47 (1) and (2), there is a penalty for the culprit, a charging fine of Rs 100,000 and imprisonment of five years in case if anyone teases, rags, humiliates, or disrespects an individual through undignified activities, using online.

Additionally, Section 300 of the National Criminal Code, 2017 penalizes anyone with malicious intent to instill fear, distress, or uses written communication or digital media to threaten, annoy, tease, or defame another person. The offenders can face the punishment of imprisonment for up to one year, a fine up to Rs 10,000 or both.

Despite these legal provisions, Advocate Sulochana Dhital says: “The case of fraudulent activities, revelation of privacy, blackmailing have not been addressed independently. They don’t get much legal attention, and many women, girls, and even minors become victims due to the lack of sufficient legal provisions or remedies.”

An example that sheds light on this problem is the case of  Bina Rai (name changed), who was a victim of online fraud in Saptari. She received a WhatsApp message from someone posing as a government official offering financial assistance. Believing the message, she shared her personal details and made a payment. After reaching out several times after payment, and when follow-up communication stopped, Rai realized she had been scammed. Rai realized women's vulnerability in digital spaces where digital literacy and awareness are still lacking. She fears that her personal information might be used for inappropriate purposes.

Advocate Surendra Tiwari, of Imperial Law Associates, says: “To tackle the growing issue of digital crimes such as hacking and online fraud in Nepal, several improvements are necessary in the country’s cyber laws and enforcement mechanisms. The Electronic Transaction Act regulates the matters relating to offenses through electronic media in Nepal, but the cases of online harassment are still increasing, which indicates that the existing legal provisions are insufficient, so making their amendment is an absolute necessity.”

He adds: “There is still a significant lack of professionals necessary to investigate cybercrime cases and a lack of public awareness regarding online fraud. Many people still use weak passwords and fall for scams by clicking on any suspicious links, making it easier for hackers and scammers to gain access to the data of the people.”

Building on this concern, the spokesperson of Nepal police, Thapa, says: “The public must recognize the importance of the information shared by the police, as it plays a key role in preventing incidents like online fraud, identity theft, and cyberbullying.” He states that a collaborative awareness campaign under the Community Police Partnership is launched at the school and college level to promote cybersecurity awareness on a large scale. 

However, the rise of social media use, particularly among youth, has led to increasing cases of cyber abuse. One such example is Goma Poudel (name changed), who recalls the trauma of being blackmailed with private videos. “The widespread use of my videos is destroying me mentally,” she shares.  For her, the impact goes beyond privacy and is about psychological abuse, a digital violence that takes an immense mental toll. Poudel also reveals how she was blamed by society instead of being supported.

Addressing this societal perspective, Advocate Dhital says that women are objectified in various contexts, often blamed for being open to men, and face character assassination when they report online harassment. “This social stigma is coupled with fear in the police stations and even in the courts, where many staff are men, where women feel humiliated for repeating the same versions of harassment,” he says. 

Puja Neupane recalls how she fell victim to a job scam. A fraudster promised her a job in exchange for a Rs 50,000 advance payment. She later reported the issue, only to realize it had been a scam all along. “Had I known the consequences, I would never have handed the money in advance,” she says. Her case highlights the lack of awareness about cybercrime and the risk that accompanies Nepal’s digital transition.

In response to these rising cases, Advocate Tiwari says, the amendments to the existing laws of Nepal are required, along with the introduction of a new regulatory framework, as legal provisions that address online harassment remain largely ineffective. Both the enactment of comprehensive laws and their proper implementation are essential to ensure stronger legal protection for victims.

Tiwari says: “If the proposed Social Media Bill, which is currently under discussion in the Parliament, is enacted, then it will introduce a comprehensive regulatory framework targeting the misuse of social media platforms.”

Further, he shares that, the bill seeks to criminalize online behaviours that are currently widespread, including the use of social media as a tool for cyberbullying and harassment, creating fake ids, fraudulent transactions, hacking personal accounts or stealing sensitive information, and posting or sharing graphic or violent content, such as brutal photos or videos.  Nonetheless, Tiwari also acknowledges concerns. “If passed, this would bring many harmful online behaviours, including the use of social media to spread content related to gender violence, sexual harassment, prostitution, issues that  are prohibited under current laws,” he says.  “It may seek to curtail the freedom of expression at large and impact raw creativity and positive criticism.” He advocates a balanced approach to protect digital rights and safety.

With the continued expansion of digital media, there is a high probability of increased cybercrime in the future. In today’s world, where technology shapes nearly every aspect, understanding the complex effects of the digital landscape is essential. While these platforms can serve as an important tool for sharing information, they also pose threats when used irresponsibly. It is the urgent role of government bodies to take an active role in promoting digital safety and improving knowledge about cyber threats in a wider range, as it is urgent to address these issues.

Advocate Dhital underscores the need for a separate law that would focus only on cybercrime. “The existing law is the intermingling of many issues, resulting in being unable to incorporate many more issues related to cyber or online crime,” she says.

Dhital recommends a stronger penalty for repeated offences, along with free counselling and legal aid to victims to support their mental state. “Introducing an online harassment course in the school curriculum is also essential, as people’s daily lives are highly influenced by what they consume online. Understanding the dos and don’t of the internet in this digital age is critical,” she says.

Frustration is a common problem among youth, often triggered by unmet expectations, social pressures, or internal conflicts. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), frustration is the thwarting of actions that prevent individuals from obtaining something they have expected.

Understanding the reason for frustration among youth is necessary to know how much they are affected by the country’s current system. To understand this complex emotion, it is important to analyze through psychological and sociological perspectives.

One of the major reasons for frustration among youth is education. “The education system in Nepal places more emphasis on theoretical knowledge rather than practical skills needed in daily life. With this, students feel disconnected, since their learning rarely aligns with real-life problem-solving situations,” says 17-year-old Pasang Tenzing Lama. Education system plays a significant role in shaping youth’s future, and when they feel alienated from the curriculum, many seek opportunities abroad, hoping to acquire practical skills rather than staying back in their own country.

Lama’s perspective shows the thinking pattern of many youth, where being disengaged from education evokes a problem. Gopal Dhakal, a psychologist, says that along with outdated curriculum and lack of practical skills, young people struggle to define their place in society. The mental conflict between what they were taught and the harsh reality, like limited opportunities, leads to disillusionment among youth.

Twenty-three-year old Prapti Khadka says: “Young people are forced to seek opportunities abroad, as they find greater exposure and potential for their growth. As a result, many people tend to stay abroad without any plan to return to Nepal.” 

Sociologist Meena Poudel says, “Youths today are globally connected through social media and digital access, but they live in a local context of stagnation. This creates the belief that everything is possible elsewhere, but they feel trapped at home, unable to access those same opportunities.”

The search for a better future goes beyond education and touches the broader workforce. A study by Pew Research Center in Dec 2024 found that only 12 percent of the survey participants expressed dissatisfaction with their jobs. In Nepal’s context, job dissatisfaction among youths could be much higher. Kopila Thapa says her poor salary, long working hours, and the job pressure pose a lot of challenges in her life.

This displeasure not only touches on job conditions, but also ties up the broader issues among youth. Psychologist Dhakal says in the current scenario, youth face constant rejection from a lot of things, despite putting in a lot of effort. “Over time, this leads to low self-esteem, depression, and even suicidal thoughts. As proper paths are unavailable for youth, frustration can give way to aggression and crime.”

This phenomenon is not unique to Nepal. In China, the term “Bai Lan” has gained popularity among youths. It reflects a mindset, which means let it rot, where individuals choose to give up striving in a system they feel is rigged or hopeless. A significant factor intensifying annoyance is the political sphere, where youth feel disconnected from the political process.

“With the frequent changes and lack of a stable government, the demands of citizens are unmet, where youth voices are often neglected”, says 23-year-old Sushant Maharjan, who sees political instability as the major problem in the country.

Sociologist Poudel admits that young people in Nepal are deeply frustrated with the political system  marked by the absence of visionary leadership.

“Youth voices are often ignored in our country’s decision-making process, which triggers more stress and leaves them without a clear vision for their future,” says 16-year-old Sniti Bega. 

Sociologist Poudel says that the traditional system of education, power, and knowledge remains unchanged, creating a disconnect between the younger generation’s needs and the authority that governs the society. “Our youths feel trapped in a system that does not evolve to their aspirations.

The heavy vexation among youth is an issue that underscores the urgent need for reform.” 

The societal structure, regressive education curriculum, and government must evolve to change to address the desires of younger generations. Through progressive leadership and a meaningful political dialogue, Nepal can retain its youth for the country’s growth and transformation.