KATHMANDU: With the onset of Dashain, the greatest festival of Nepali Hindus, many people from different parts of the country are leaving Kathmandu to celebrate the festival, notwithstanding the hassles including lack of adequate vehicles, a perennial problem occurred very year during festivals.

Scenes of people from outside the Kathmandu Valley heading towards their homes to celebrate festivals like Dashain, Tihar and Chhath, getting on packed vehicles, risking their lives are common every year during festivals.

However, this year, the problem has been compounded by the blockade on the Nepal-India border, causing fuel shortage.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Rajendra Prasad Bhatta said that around 206,386 people have already left Kathmandu in the first three days of the festival.

"The number of passenger vehicles leaving the valley is increasing since the Nepal Oil Corporation started providing fuel to the vehicles," he said.

Likewise, help desks have been set up in 12 places in the valley like New Bus Park, Old Bus Park, Balkhu, Kalanki, Nagdhunga and Airport to help out the passengers leaving Kathmandu to celebrate Dashain.

Meanwhile, police arrested three persons from Kalanki area on the charge of charging passengers higher than the set bus fare.