Kathmandu, October 2

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal today directed Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Tranport Ramesh Lekhak to operate at least 100 government-owned buses to ensure hassle-free movement of people leaving Kathmandu Valley to join their family during Dashain, Tihar and Chhath festivals.

According to PM’s Secretariat, Dahal urged the minister to manage vehicles by maintaining coordination with Nepali Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, various government agencies, PABSON and NPABSON.

Separately, the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers has directed the ministry to coordinate with the concerned government agencies and transport entrepreneurs to ensure people’s access to vehicles during the festive season.

A meeting held under the chair of Chief Secretary Somlal Subedi at Singha Durbar today said that the Ministry of General Administration would operate state-owned buses within the Valley during Dashain and make additional arrangements for long-route buses.

The directives come in the wake of public complaints over ‘difficulty to get bus tickets’ in advance booking counters. Looking at the ongoing outflow of people from the Valley, around 1.6 million people are expected to leave the Valley for their home districts to celebrate Dashain.

According to the Metropolitan Traffic Police Division, more than 500,000 people have already reached their destination by road and the number is expected to increase threefold by the seventh day of Dashain (October 8).

On an average, 8,000 vehicles, both four-wheelers and two-wheelers, en-route to different parts of the country, are leaving through Nagdhunga, Pharping, Bhaktapur and Mudhkhu every day.