Travel trip to Dhulikel

 The Himalayan Times_Travel & Lifestyle 

 July 21, 2016

"In the midst of splendor"

 

Soni Rai visits Dhulikhel and wraps herself in its beauty

Living in Kathmandu, surrounded by compact houses, busy streets, loaded vehicles and big malls, I was planning on taking a break for some rest and relaxation. I could not make up my mind about just where to go! But, soon enough, I got the opportunity to go to Dhulikhel.

The destination was perfect — just a one and half hour drive from Kathmandu and I could stay the night and get the much needed break. Though the journey was a short one the view that accompanied us throughout was breathtakingly beautiful. After about 50 minutes we reached Sanga, which houses a gigantic statue of Lord Shiva. It was a sight to behold — Lord Shiva in all his glory atop a green hill.

Crossing Banepa, we came across a big signage of Kathmandu University; which meant we were getting closer to our destination. After about 15 minutes we reached Dhulikhel Resort. We were greeted warmly and informed that because we were at the resort during the off season we had the place almost to ourselves! Tourists usually frequent Dhulikhel between October to December. That said, there were a couple of foreigners enjoying the off season as much as we were. Some locals and foreigners alike were out on hikes by the hillside, dotting a pretty picture across the hillock.

Without much ado, after we checked in, we headed out to explore Dhulikhel bazaar. We were anticipating this visit because we’d heard so much about the vivacity of this market place. The roads were free from traffic, and the market place itself was not very crowded. We walked around a bit and bought some knickknacks to bring back home. Taking a right turn from the main bazaar, we went for a visit to Dhulikhel Hospital, which is one of the main attractions of the town. The hospital stands tall and proud of the service it provides.

The next spot on our list was to the 1000 steps, which is quite popular for its scenic beauty and calm weather. When I first heard about 1000 steps, I immediately thought that it was going to be a tough climb uphill. After about 300 steps, we came across Shanti Ban where we saw a huge statue of Gautam Budhha, where a modest number of visitors were taking pictures. It was still under construction but even in its half built state it looked beautiful. I can only imagine how stunning it’s going to look on completion.

Climbing up the stairs made me realise that there were quite a few hiker’s rest stops which made the climb easier than expected. Finally reaching the top, I felt elated! The steep climb was worth it. The last few steps led to the old Kali Temple, and a nearby view tower, which was padlocked. The view from top was all about fog settling down on the valley below; the sky hanging low on the horizon. The locals informed us that on a good sunny day you could see the mountains.

The 45 minutes climb was exhausting but we couldn’t wait to explore more. We headed towards Palanchowk Bhagwati Temple and walked along Lamidada and Panchkhal where the roads were bigger. We reached the Birendra Peace Operations Training Centre (BPOTC) where the roads were narrower with numerous little alleyways going in different directions. These routes make for a good drive or a refreshing walk. Bhagwati Temple is a must visit while you’re here.

From BPOTC, Palanchowk Bhagwati temple is only eight kms away. As soon as we reached there I saw a statue of goddess Bhagwati beautifully carved in black stone. The Palanchowk Bhagwati Temple has a female priest, unlike many other temples. The architecture is intriguing and I was charmed by the tinkling of hundreds of bells and mirrors hanging on the temple walls.

Details:
How to get there: Daily buses to Dhulikhel are available from Old Bus Park

Hotel to stay: There are many hotels and resorts available in Dhulikhel. One such is The Himalayan Horizon Hotel with great hospitality.
Local attractions: You can always stroll through the Dhulikhel town or hike up to the lofty Namobuddha, enjoy the splendid view with a packed lunch.

Official launch of Tata Tiago in Nepal

 The Himalayan Times_PERSPECTIVES  

 August 31, 2016

 

 

“With the kind of product portfolio that we have planned we expect very healthy growth"

JOHNNY OOMMEN is the Head-International Business- Passenger Vehicle Business Unit of Tata Motors. He spoke to Soni Rai of THT Auto Plus about Tata Motors in Nepal and expectations from the new launch of Tiago.

How has the performance of Tata Motors been in Nepal?
We have seen extremely good growth in Nepal though last year due to the earthquake and blockade we couldn’t supply vehicles as per the demand. But this year, the market for passenger vehicles seems very promising and we are optimistic that we will increase our sales by 30 to 35 per cent.

What is the competition like and what is your market share at present?
I think we have witnessed growth in across most segments in Nepal. It’s a very interesting market for us. There is extremely good growth in the hatchback segment and that is why we have come up with Tiago. Indeed, it is a market that is waiting to expand.
We have healthy double digit market share which we are planning to increase substantially in coming years.

What are your expectations from this new launch— Tiago? What kind of competition do you see in the Nepali market?
We are seeking to define the hatchback segment in Nepal and we are confident with the Tiago. For this car we have mainly focused on three areas— technology, design and quality since 2013. We believe it is a car that is absolutely perfect for market like Nepal. Here I see a large emerging young consumers segment and we are confident that Tiago will appeal to them in many aspects.

Looking through the traditional lens the competitors in terms of size of car and performance attributes, it would be Hyundai and Maruti Suzuki by the offerings that they have in that segment. However, I think the features and equipment that we have offered in Tiago actually belong to a higher segment. We are actually somewhere in between the low and medium hatchback segment. In terms of price value we are closer to the lower segment and in features we are closer to the higher segment.
 
What are the biggest challenges facing Tata Motors faces at present?
We have a very strong presence in the MUV segment with the Sumo, a very dominant product in that segment. We had been trying to find ways of expanding our presence in the market by making offerings in other segments where we have been absent.  So, last year we launched two products— Zest and Bolt. Both have received extremely good response which has actually resulted in an increase in overall numbers in Nepal. With the launch of Tiago we are seeking to further add on to our presence in the hatchback segment. So currently one of the big challenges has been our presence in various segments.

What are your future plans for Nepal?
I think with the kind of product portfolio that we have planned we expect very healthy growth. As I said earlier, we launched two products last year— Zest and Bolt. This year Tiago is already one of them and you can expect another launch later this year. We are planning to launch at least two new products every year in Nepal to maintain our strong product portfolio. We are optimistic that in next three to four years we will be among the top two players in Nepali automobile market.

NADA Auto Show 2016 coverage

 The Himalayan Times_Perspectives                           

 August 31, 2016

"With this edition of NADA Auto Show, we expect the automobile industry to reach new heights"

ANJAN SHRESTHA is the President of Nepal Automobile Dealers’ Association (NADA).  He spoke to Soni Rai of THT Auto Plus about ‘NADA Auto Show 2016’ and the current situation of Nepali automobile industry.

What are your expectations from this edition of the NADA Auto Show?
The Nepali automobile industry has been witnessing growth every year. We expect it to grow even further this year. The industry is growing by two folds as compared to the last year that is around 40 per cent. The main objective of this expo is to update people about the latest developments in the automobile sector. This event is a platform for automobile companies to promote their products. There has been a consistent increase in the number of exhibitors and visitors every year. We are trying to accommodate each and every automobile dealer at the auto show so that no dealer is missed. With this edition of NADA Auto Show, we expect the automobile industry to grow to new heights.

What s the current scenario in the auto industry?
The domestic automobile industry is growing every year. Now people's perceptions about automobiles have changed to a great extent. People have understood that an automobile is no longer a commodity of luxury rather it is a necessity. The only problem is the hefty tax imposed by the government. Hence, the government needs to understand that an automobile has become one of the basic needs of people. As the auto show is scheduled just before the festive season, we are optimistic that the industry will witness significant growth in sales. Customers and auto enthusiasts are also eagerly waiting for the auto show to purchase new and latest vehicles; for sure they are looking for the best deals.

How is this NADA Auto show different from the previous shows?
Compared to previous editions, this year there are more participants at the auto show. Last year there were 65 exhibitors whereas this time we have 73 exhibitors. We have 125 stalls — separate sections for two-wheelers, four-wheelers, commercial vehicles, and heavy equipments have been allocated. This time some new automobile companies like Morris Garage (MG), Renault, Bela, Runner, Scomadi, et cetera are also participating at the mega event. It shows that the number of individual automobile dealers have increased which indicates that the event has been improving and becoming popular among both exhibitors and visitors.

The automobile business largely depends on auto loans. What is the current status of auto loans?
In today’s context, auto loans are very lucrative. Currently banks are offering as low as seven per cent interest rates on auto loans. The easy access to auto loans and attractive interest rates is the major reason behind the growth that the automobile sector has been experiencing recently. Earlier, auto loan seekers had to go through a long procedure, but now easy processing and flexible interest rates have largely encouraged customers to opt for auto loans. We can say that the flexible auto loan is one of the major factors for the growth of the industry.

What are your expectations from the auto show?
We have always organised the auto show just before the festive season. The main objective of the expo is to inform customers about new and latest launches in the Nepali market. As previous editions of the auto show have been fruitful and created positive vibes in the market, we are confident that this edition too will help make the industry more vibrant.

Since the government has been imposing hefty tax on the import of vehicles, what does NADA expect from the government?
The automobile industry has been one of the major contributors of revenue generation in the country. It has the potential to contribute even higher revenue. However, the imposition of hefty taxes on the import of vehicles has deprived the government from collecting more revenue. We have been always urging the government to reduce custom duty at least by 10 to 15 per cent. The government has to understand that the automobile is no longer a commodity of luxury rather it is a matter of necessity. We have been always urging the government to either make public transportation more organised or make private vehicles more affordable.

The domestic automobile industry was largely last year. How is the industry doing today?
The earthquake and economic blockade were two major hurdles for the domestic automobile industry in the last fiscal. There was no investment made during those days. However, as soon as the blockade was lifted backlog sales took place. Also to add to that, demand for the electric vehicle was high during the fuel crisis and slowly the emergence of electric vehicle has begun. Though the industry has taken time to revive, now the automobile sector is back to its normal state. We are optimistic about the auto show as it will definitely create positive vibes in the entire industry.