Kathmandu, January 10

The Metropolitan Traffic Police Division today directed all its units in the Kathmandu Valley to strictly prohibit passengers of public buses from traveling on roofs and take action against drivers found allowing passengers to make risky journey.

DIGP Jaya Bahadur Chand, MTPD in-charge, said on-duty traffic cops would convince the bus drivers and owners not to let passengers travel by siting on the roof for the next four days. “If they take the security concern lightly and continue to allow passengers to make risky journey, we will initiate action against them as per the existing laws,” he warned.

Traffic cops had not been taking action against bus drivers for carrying passengers on roof in view of acute fuel shortage and fewer number of vehicles plying the Valley roads.

“As the traffic flow is gradually returning to normal, we cannot stop making timely efforts to discourage traffic rule violations. This is to ensure passengers’ own safety,” said DIGP Chand.

The MTPD has recorded at least two fatalities caused by travelling on roof.

Raju Thapa (29) from Godamchaur-9 of Lalitpur died after falling off the roof of a passenger bus (Ba 2 Kha 4864) on October 31. The incident occurred in Godavari-1 along the Lagankhel-Tikachaur road section. He sustained a critical head injury and died while undergoing treatment at Patan Hospital.

On January 2, a helper of a passenger bus succumbed to injuries after he fell off the roof of the vehicle while collecting travel fare in Teku. The deceased was 18-year-old Tikaram Karki, a permanent resident of Bhirpani-5 of Ramechhap district.

Meanwhile, traffic police have already imposed a ban on carrying more than one pillion rider on a motorbike.

The existing traffic rules prohibit motorcycle riders from carrying more than one pillion rider.