KATHMANDU: Traffic jams in major roads within the Kathmandu Valley cannot be solely blamed on the growing number of vehicles as the crucial roles played by torrential rains and sporadic rallies cannot be shunned.

The increased number of vehicles coupled with the narrow streets cause traffic jams, said SSP Milan Basnet of the Metropolitan Traffic Police Division (MTPD).

"More than 850,000 vehicles ply on the roads of the Valley while the road network amounts to 1,500 kms only."

Basnet further shared that traffic congestion is seen mostly at major intersections including Tripureshwor, Kalimati, Bhotebahal, Thapathali, Maitighar, Kalanki, Jamal, Keshar Mahal, Khani Bibhagh, Sorhakhutte, Balaju, Chabahil, Gwarko, Koteshwor and Jadibuti.

He said a vehicle has to wait for at least five to seven minutes, on average, at these intersections . "The jam is even thicker during the rush hour," Basnet added.

The traffic congestion is also due to haphazard road construction and unruly trend of parking the vehicles in any free space available, he stated.

The rainwater has been another factor diminishing the width of the roads as most of the roads, including that of Tripureshwor, Jamal and Kesharmahal, get partially waterlogged after torrential rainfall.

At Naya Baneshwor intersection, huge mass of pedestrians crossing the road through zebra-crossing also cause traffic congestion, he added.

SSP Basnet informed that the MTPD is holding discussion with the Road Department and the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) regarding infrastructure construction to deal with the increasing traffic jams.

The MTPD does not have enough traffic police in the Valley whereas the arrival of a VIP creates even more problems, added Basnet. "The required size of the traffic police in the Valley is 2000, but only 1200 are currently at work."

And whenever rallies descend onto the streets, it becomes nothing short of a nuisance adding to the travellers' woes and engendering a sense of sheer instability and chaos.