Nepal

Around 15,000 passengers have booked bus tickets for an annual trip home to celebrate Dashain, Tihar and Chhath festivals. 

Advance booking for long-distance vehicles opened from Asoj 1 (September 17) following a decision at the joint meeting of the Department of Transport Management, Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office and representatives of Nepal Transport Professionals National Association.

Around 15,000 passengers made advance ticket bookings over the past two days, said Pankaj Malla, head of human resources at Lhotse Multi-Purpose Pvt Ltd – the operators of the New Bus Park in Gongabu. Out of them, around 7,000 passengers purchased tickets on Saturday and the rest on Sunday.

Advance booking of bus tickets have been opened for travels to Darchula, Dhangadhi, Tikapur, Bajhang, Bajura, Pyuthan, Rukum, Rolpa, among other destinations in the west.

Similarly, reservations have opened for those travelling to Kakadvitta, Bhadrapur, Tehrathum, Khandbari, Taplejung, Bhojpur, Ilam, Pashupatinagar, Dharan, Biratnagar in the east. 

For long-distance passengers can make book tickets from 7am to 6pm.
 

Ramesh Khatri, head of the Prithvi Highway Bus Operators in Kathmandu, said they would soon open advance booking of bus tickets for short journeys such as Gorkha, Pokhara, Lamjung, Baglung, Myagdi, Syangja, Nuwakot, Rasuwa and so on.

Vijay Bahadur Swaran, President of the National Federation of Nepal Transport Professionals, said that keeping in mind the passengers going home to celebrate Dasain, a good arrangement of transport has been arranged. 

More than two million people leave the valley for home every year to celebrate the Dashain festival.

The Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office said they would set up passenger assistance rooms at different 14 locations in the capital, in association with the Department of Transport Management to facilitate the travellers.

Passenger assistance rooms will be set up at Nagdhunga, Kalanki, Swayambhu, Machhapokhari, New Bus Park, Chabahil, Gaushala, Koteshwar, Jagati, Satdobato, Balkhu, Dakshinkali, Sundhara and Old Bus Park in the capital, the traffic police office said.

Spokesperson for the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office, Senior Superintendent of Police Rajendra Prasad Bhatta said that through the office’s passenger assistance room would be coordinating with the stakeholders concerned to facilitate passengers to reach their destination.

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(All Photos: NepalMinute.com)