Valley
Exodus continues from Kathmandu
More than 1.5 million people have left Kathmandu Valley to celebrate Dashain, the biggest Hindu festival in the country, the Kathmandu Metropolitan Traffic Police Division said on Thursday.More than 1.5 million people have left Kathmandu Valley to celebrate Dashain, the biggest Hindu festival in the country, the Kathmandu Metropolitan Traffic Police Division said on Thursday.
The outbound flow of people from Kathmandu remains significantly high during the festive season every year.
Kathmandu Metropolitan Traffic Police Division (MTPD) Spokesperson Superintendent of Police Raj Kumar Lamsal, said traffic has increased at major entry and exit points of Kathmandu.
“Major entry and exit points like Nagdhunga, Pharping, and Jagati have become significantly busy,” Lamsal said.
With the majority of academic institutions declaring festival holidays starting Ghatasthapana, the outbound flow has increase by several folds Wednesday onwards, he said. The Department of Transport Management (DoTM) estimates three million people would travel out of Kathmandu to celebrate festivals starting with Dashain.
Kathmandu is the focal point for employment, education, health care and other several administrative activities attracting large number of people from across the country. Further, the arrival of Nepalis residing abroad through the only international airport—Tribhuvan International Airport before waging option of reaching their hometown via roadways or airways has also increased the outbound flow from Kathmandu.
To manage effectively the festival rush, Kathmandu MTPD has set up 12 help desks in different parts of Kathmandu valley to check black marketing of bus tickets during the Dashain festival.
The help desks set up at Nagdhunga, Kalanki, Swayambhu, Naya Bus Park, Purano Bus Park Sundhara, Chabahil, Tilganga, Koteshwor, Jagate, Lagankhel and Balkhu provide relevant information to travellers. They also register complaints and take further steps to resolve them.
Apart from traffic officials, the desk comprises officials from the Department of Commerce, the Federation of Transportation Entre-preneurs’ Associations, consumer groups and trade unions affiliated to various political parties. The presence of multi stakeholders eases resolving people’s problems and disputes.
DoTM Spokesperson Gokarna Prasad Upadhayaya said, “So far, there are no reports of major issues. Our officials visit help-desks and bus park areas to monitor the situation.” Buying and selling of tickets and overall process of boarding a bus is smooth so far. Counters displaying ticket rates have eliminated disputes over prices, he said.
The outbound flow of people from Kathmandu has put more pressure on traffic in key areas of the capital. Shoppers flocking to major markets for festival purchases put further pressure on the traffic.