Sindhulimadi, December 21

Transport entrepreneurs today demanded that all kinds of vehicles be allowed to ply on BP Highway following the decision of the Department of Transport Management to allow only light vehicles with less than 16 seats to ply on the Khurkot road section in Sindhuli.

At an interaction organised by Central Regional Traffic Police Office Pathalaiya in Sindhulimadi, Banepa-Bardibas Road Project’s Ramesh Acharya said vehicles with capacity to carry more than 10 tonnes could not ply along the BP Highway.

“As per the road design, a vehicle can move up to only 30 kilometres per hour,” he said. As only five metres of the road has been black-topped, only light vehicles are suitable, Acharya added.

Nutan Paudel of Transport Management Office Bardibas, said his office was preparing to allow route permit to small mini trucks, mini buses, micros and Bolero jeeps to ply along the highway and they were managing time cards from Dhulikhel to Sindhulimadi.

General Secretary at Sindhuli chapter of Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Arjun Shrestha, however, asked the Department of Transport Management not to discriminate between light and heavy vehicles and allow all kinds of vehicles to ply the road.

Similarly, BP Highway Transport Entrepreneurs Association Chair Akash Shrestha said the government should allow all kinds of vehicles to ply on the highway. He urged the transport management office to reconsider its decision.

Four months ago, transport management department had decided to allow only light vehicles to ply the BP Highway.