Kathmandu, December 3

A large number of people are leaving Kathmandu Valley to go to their hometowns to cast votes in between December 1 and December 6. Transport entrepreneurs have said that they have witnessed very high bookings that are similar to bookings made during Dashain.

“There have been 1.4 million ticket bookings made for December 1 to December 6,” said Saroj Sitaula, general secretary of the Federation of Nepalese National Transport Entrepreneurs (FNNTE), adding, “Political parties also have reserved public transportation to facilitate their voters to go to their hometowns to cast votes.”

People from different parts of the country reside in the Capital and it is especially during Dashain that the Capital witnesses an exodus of people, however, second phase of the parliamentary and provincial elections has created a similar situation like during the Dashain festival. As per FNNTE, around 3,500 medium and large public vehicles will be leaving Kathmandu during December 1 to 6.

Transport entrepreneurs have assumed that around 500,000 people left Kathmandu Valley during the first phase of the parliamentary and provincial polls held in 32 mountainous districts on November 26. Transport entrepreneurs have shared their experience that the number of people leaving Kathmandu to cast votes this time around is higher than the earlier periodic elections.

“As the provincial and parliamentary polls are scheduled simultaneously, it is more economical for the contestant to call their voters from the Valley as the cost can be shared among the candidates,” one of the transport entrepreneurs said.

Transport entrepreneurs have said that they will have business similar to that during Dashain.