MTPD to set up 12 help desks

Kathmandu, September 23

The Metropolitan Traffic Police Division is set to establish citizen help desks in 12 places of Kathmandu Valley to facilitate people travelling to their villages and towns for Dashain, Tihar and Chhath festivals.

The help desks will have representatives from traffic and civil police, and transport entrepreneurs and workers. DIGP Mingmar Lama of the Metropolitan Police Office launched a help desk amid a function organised in Balkhu today.

Officials said 11 other help desks will be set up by tomorrow. New Bus Park, Jorpati, Gaushala, Koteshwor, Satdobato, Swoyambhu, Kalanki, Nagdhunga, Old Bus Park, Sundhara, Balaju and Balkhu will have help desks to regulate the traffic and settle complaints lodged by passengers.

Traffic police officials said the help desks will assist people in booking and acquiring travel tickets.

Ticket booking counters have been asked to display bus fares to ensure transparency.

Help desks will also warn ticket booking clerks against possible incidents of double-ticketing, blackmailing, overcharging and selling ticket in black. Officials deployed at help desks will arrest and take action against those involved in fraudulent activities.

The government has made it compulsory for ticketing clerks to wear ID cards to ensure that ‘passengers are not cheated on the pretext of making tickets available to them at a cheaper rate’.

Officials have appealed to all to take precautions to prevent fraudulent activities and lodge complaints at help desks if they face any problem. According to MTPD, help desks will also check if vehicles are carrying passengers beyond capacity and allowing passengers to sit atop buses.

They will also take action against drunk drivers during the festive season.

For the safety of the commuters, the government has made it mandatory for transporters to maintain two drivers in each vehicle that ply on routes longer than 250 km.