Kathmandu, May 2

The Metropolitan Traffic Police Division, Kathmandu has urged pedestrians to strictly follow traffic rules while walking on the streets and crossing roads.

The division said 40 per cent of total traffic fatalities in the Valley involves pedestrians. The division has planned to come with provision for fining pedestrians if they are found violating traffic rules from May 15 in order to reduce road casualties, according to Deputy Inspector General of Police Mingmar Lama.

Jaywalkers will be fined from May 15. Meanwhile, with an objective of making people aware of the traffic rules and importance of road safety, the division, in collaboration with the National Folk and Duet Song Academy, organised a folk-song competition here today.

Popular folk singers Badri Pangeni, Pashupati Sharma, Ramji Khand, Shiva Hamal, Krishna Reule, Rita Thapa, Deepak Khadka, and Kulendra Bishwakarama gave their voices on the chances of fatal consequences from negligence while crossing roads, importance of the compliance with traffic rules, the means of proving oneself as a civilised citizen.