Kathmandu, September 11

As per the agreement with the government, transport entrepreneurs are set to open the advance booking of bus tickets from Tuesday.

While the pre-booking of bus tickets was delayed this Dashain due to the unresolved spat between transport entrepreneurs and the government, Valley dwellers planning to leave for their hometown can book their seats from Tuesday onwards.

In general, the pre-booking of bus tickets used to be announced almost three weeks prior to the onset of Dashain festival on mutual understanding between the government and transport entrepreneurs.

Agitating transport entrepreneurs had agreed to accept ticket pre-booking after the Department of Transport Management (DoTM), on Sunday, agreed to address the demands raised by transport entrepreneurs that includes allowing vehicles to put top carriage and adjusting new public transportation fare shortly.

Saroj Sitaula, general secretary of Federation of Nepalese National Transport Entrepreneurs (FNNTE), informed that all the transport associations and committees have been directed to accept advance ticket booking from Tuesday. “People can now book their seats at their nearby bus ticket counters. We assure that everyone will get tickets for Dashain though the pre-booking of tickets was delayed this festive season,” said Sitaula.

Sitaula also informed that transport entrepreneurs will add few buses to major routes across the country where the public commuting is comparatively high during Dashain.

Similarly, officials of DoTM also assured that public will not have to face difficulty in getting bus-tickets this Dashain. Informing that DoTM has deployed a dozen inspection teams across the Valley to control possible anomaly in bus ticket distribution, Tok Raj Pandey, spokesperson for DoTM appealed the public to consult the deployed inspection team of the government or directly approach the DoTM office if they face difficulties in getting the bus tickets.

Likewise, DoTM has also informed that government will use school/college buses in major routes, if required, to facilitate festive commuters.