Caring for the Kathmandu Riverfront

For centuries the Kathmandu Valley has been a land of rich culture, myth, and serene heritage. To sustain these resources the indigenous society had built ‘Guthi’ (institute) systems. Taking care of public spaces was a daily norm rather than a necessity. However, unstable socio-politics and globalization in the last few decades changed the demographics and beliefs of people in the valley. Critically caring for the commons is needed as adaptive to this rapid urbanization. Perhaps sustenance is not in building new places but in keeping the existing ones intact. The Bagmati river was the main reason for settlement to start in Kathmandu. At present, a 6.35-mile-long riverfront beautification project and sewer treatment plant reconstruction are on-going projects to revamp the neglected riverside of the valley.  In my thesis, I am trying to understand the change in the structure of ownership in the public commons at this riverfront and provide a possible solution to cope with these changes. The system works on different scales and involves different stakeholders. I would also show changes in the physical scenario with time once the new system is implemented, eventually, trying to prove that critical caring is very important for the sustenance