Ep: 474 | How Kathmandu Grew Wrong & What We Can Learn From History | Padma Sundar Joshi

How Kathmandu Grew Wrong & What We Can Learn From History. In this podcast, we sit down with Padma Sundar Joshi, an expert in urban planning and heritage conservation, to explore the history and challenges of Kathmandu’s urbanization. The conversation begins with the history of Newa settlements and how they were self-sufficient, designed around rivers, and shaped community life. Joshi explains why Kathmandu floods today, the failure of land use planning, and how projects like the Ring Road and decisions by political figures accelerated unplanned growth. We dive into the population crisis, asking if decentralization is the solution, and uncover the role of temples and jatras in building community ties. Joshi highlights Kathmandu’s biggest urban challenge: mobility. He critiques failed infrastructure like the Gwarko flyover, and suggests ways to improve public transport. The podcast also touches on Joshi’s book Hiti Pranali, the importance of hitis in Patan, and how to revive them. We discuss whether Kathmandu’s soil is crumbling, why banning deep boring is necessary, and the troubled history of the Melamchi Project. Joshi also shares insights into Newa earthquake-resistant architecture, the lessons of the 2015 earthquake, and how retrofitting and traditional knowledge can protect future generations. This episode is a must-watch for anyone concerned about Kathmandu’s urban crisis, water scarcity, and earthquake preparedness. 00:00 - Intro | History of Kathmandu’s urbanization & Newa influence 05:00 - Newa settlements | Self-sufficient lifestyle 10:05 - Cities by rivers | Why Kathmandu floods today 13:13 - Lack of land use planning | Why it matters 18:15 - Ring Road’s impact & political influence on growth 23:03 - Population density issues in Kathmandu 29:00 - Decentralization as a solution 32:55 - Why every street has temples 36:35 - Temples’ role in community bonding 41:25 - Jatra competitions uniting communities 44:12 - Fixing urban issues with youth energy 47:45 - Mobility crisis & public transport solutions 52:45 - Gwarko flyover failure 57:03 - Sundar Joshi’s book Hiti Pranali 01:03:30 - Why Patan’s geography favors hitis 01:05:54 - Reviving hitis in Kathmandu 01:11:45 - Can Kathmandu’s ground crumble? 01:14:55 - Need to ban deep boring 01:16:50 - History of Melamchi project 01:19:40 - Newa architecture & earthquakes 01:28:45 - Preparing for a super earthquake | Lessons from 2015 01:36:08 - Retrofitting & traditional building knowledge 01:42:15 - Importance of maintaining hitis 01:48:15 - Kathmandu’s 2024 floods Recommend us Guests for the Podcast: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FA... For Business Enquiries: podcast@sushantpradhan.com PODCAST LINKS : Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6rnayy7... Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/np/podcast... Google Podcast: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0... Instagram:   / sushantpradhanpodcast   SPONSOR : Our title sponsor "PROTON NEPAL" Instagram:   / protonnepal   Facebook:   / protoncarsnepal   The Physique Workshop: http://thephysiqueworkshop.com Conversations spark ideas and ideas lead to actions that drive the growth of society. I believe long and unfiltered deep conversation is a lost art in this nearly perfectly presented world. And this is my attempt to have real conversations with real minds and present them to you. The goal is to learn from the greatest minds and take you on the journey. Do subscribe if you feel this would add value to your life. MY SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS : My Website: http://sushantpradhan.com Instagram:   / sushant_pradhan_   Twitter :   / sushant_tpw   Facebook:   / sushantpradhantpw   Tiktok :   / sushant_pradhan_   DISCLAIMER: The views, information, or opinions expressed in the YouTube Channel and Podcast are solely the views of the individuals involved and by no means represent absolute facts. Opinions expressed by the host and guests can change at any time. !! Reproduction of this video or content is strictly prohibited. If done, it may lead to legal action !! TEAM MEMBERS: HOST: Sushant Pradhan PRODUCER: Pranay Bikram Shah EDITOR: Swahel Subedi SHORTS EDITOR: Divas Kaji Shakya SOCIAL MEDIA: Luniba Innovations