The traffic rules for pedestrians and jaywalkers in Kathmandu Valley, originally scheduled for implementation from May 15, has been postponed until next week due to the local level elections. 

The Metropolitan Traffic Police Division (MTPD) said more than 900 traffic police personnel had been deployed in Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur for the first phase of local elections on Sunday. Besides, the Department of Road (DoR) has yet to complete painting zebra crossings and setting up signage at major intersections. 

“Our staff are yet to return for work. We will enforce this rule from next week and the DoR has agreed to complete all the task by then,” 

said MTPD chief Mingmar Lama, adding that they were working in association with various clubs, and organisations in disseminating the message. 

Those caught flouting the traffic rules will be slapped with a fine, ranging from Rs200 to Rs1,000 as per the Motor Vehicles and Transport Management Act-1993. Those who do not pay a ‘on-the-spot’ fine will have to spend a night in custody, traffic police warned.

There are zebra crossings at 107 places in the Capital, but paints on more than half of them have faded and are hardly visible. The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) and the DoR have allocated Rs500,000 for lining and re-establishing each zebra crossings.

The Kathmandu roads lack sufficient pedestrian crosswalk and zebra crossings and footpaths. According to the MTPD, 40 percent of the road accidents are the causes of pedestrians, not following the rule of zebra crossings and choosing sky bridges.