KATHMANDU, JULY 22 Despite the government directive to ply vehicles carrying passengers comprising only half of their actual seating capacity, many public vehicles plying the roads on the outskirts of Kathmandu valley are violating the rule. The Department of Transport Management had asked public vehicles to carry passengers in such a way that they occupy only half of the seating capacity on July 22. A day after the lockdown was lifted, a public vehicle (Ba 3 Kha 623) plying on he Sundarijal-Ratnapark route was found carrying more passengers more than its seating capacity, according to Surendra Shrestha, a passenger in the same vehicle. However, vehicles plying the Ring Road are following the rules. Failure of traffic police to monitor public vehicles has made matters worse. When asked, Bamdev Gautam, spokesperson for the Metropolitan Traffic Police Division, Ramshahpath, admitted negligence on the part of traffic cops in the matter. He attributed it to lack of human resources. Only limited number of workforce was on duty at Tokha and Budhanilkantha. Much of the human resources have been used at the centre. From today, a mobile team has been deployed to areas such as Sankhu, Gokarna and Bhaisepati to check public vehicles. Those flouting the rules will face action, said the Division. Yesterday, 28 public vehicles and 277 private ones had faced action for violating the rules, said Spokesperson Gautam. A version of this article appears in e-paper on July 23, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.