Kathmandu, September 25

The Department of Transport Management (DoTM) has opened all land routes for all public vehicles across the country from Sunday in a bid to ease commute during the Dashain festival.

Intended to facilitate people’s movement during Dashain, the provision will be in place till the festival ends, as per Gogan Bahadur Hamal, director general at the department.

This provision allows even public vehicles plying in Kathmandu Valley or other cities to ply across any short or long routes during Dashain.

“During Dashain, people often complain of facing difficulty in commuting. The new provision is expected to address their issue to a certain extent,” said Hamal.

DoTM estimates that almost 2.5 million people will leave Kathmandu Valley for their hometown during Dashain, thereby increasing the demand for public transport services. However, people find it difficult to book their bus tickets due to lack of sufficient vehicles in some routes.

Similarly, DoTM has also barred goods-ferrying trucks from Narayanghat to enter

Valley during Dashain to ease movement of public vehicles in Kathmandu-Narayanghat route. “Trucks, especially large trucks, carrying heavy goods have been barred from using the route and entering the Valley till Dashain-end,” he added.

DoTM has also set up help desks in almost two dozen places in the Valley, especially in major entry points, bus ticket counters and bus stations to control possible anomalies in sales of bus tickets. These help desks have been set up in coordination with traffic police. Hamal informed that inspection teams have also been deployed across the country to curb possible anomalies in sales of bus tickets.

Meanwhile, transport entrepreneurs have said that though opening all routes for all public vehicles is a positive step, DoTM should implement this provision for at least couple of days after Dashain. “Commuters face trouble not only while going home during Dashain but also when returning to Kathmandu,” said Saroj Sitaula, general secretary of Federation of Nepal National Transport Entrepreneurs.