Nepal Tightens Festival Travel Rules as Dashain Approaches
Parliamentary lawmakers and traffic police have launched coordinated checks, fare controls, and passenger help desks across the Kathmandu Valley ahead of Dashain, Tihar, and Chhath.
As residents prepare to travel home from the Kathmandu Valley for Dashain, Tihar and Chhath, parliamentary authorities and traffic police have activated comprehensive measures to regulate passenger transport and curb ticketing fraud.
The House of Representatives Infrastructure Development Committee convened on Monday to address seasonal transport bottlenecks, as reported by Artha Sansar ahead of the Singha Durbar meeting. Following the session, the committee issued wide-ranging directives instructing government bodies to maintain adequate vehicle supply, enforce authorized ticket fares, and stop dangerous passenger overcrowding, My Republica reported.
According to My Republica, Committee President Ashish Gajurel announced that transport companies must operate sufficient buses to meet surging festive demand, restrict ticket sales to designated counters, and allow passengers to board and disembark only at secure locations. The parliamentary panel also directed the transport ministry to enforce an immediate plan ensuring ticket access and handling passenger complaints promptly. Furthermore, lawmakers called for strict inspections of highway eateries to prevent price gouging and poor food quality, while appointing lawmaker Rajunath Pandey to the festive transport subcommittee.
Simultaneously, law enforcement agencies have launched intensive vehicle inspections and roadside monitoring across the capital. As reported by the Nepali edition of Onlinekhabar, the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office is coordinating joint teams with the Department of Transport Management, the Department of Roads, and local municipal police to prevent unauthorized ticket brokers and curb traffic violations.
Superintendent of Police Naresh Raj Subedi, spokesperson for the valley traffic police, told Onlinekhabar English that heightened vigilance is essential because ticket scalpers without valid identification often exploit travelers by inflating fares, overcrowding buses beyond capacity, and issuing duplicate tickets for single seats.
To assist travelers, authorities are setting up passenger help desks across major hubs in the valley, including Kalanki, Koteshwor, Chabahil, Balkhu, Pulchowk, Nagdhunga, Chapagaun, Bhimdhunga, and Sankhu, Onlinekhabar reported. Vehicles will also undergo mechanical inspections and pollution checks, the outlet reported.
Onlinekhabar English noted that traffic police will also enforce the statutory requirement mandating two alternating drivers on long-distance routes to prevent driver fatigue. In addition, police will deploy breathalyzers for round-the-clock sobriety checkpoints and manage vehicle parking around major temples expecting large festival crowds.