Dasain travel: Over 200,000 passengers leave for home districts from New Bus Park, traffic police step up patrols

As the crowd of people leaving Kathmandu for their home districts to celebrate Dasain grows, around 207,000 passengers have departed from New Bus Park over nine days.

According to Pankaj Malla, general manager of Lotus Multipurpose Pvt. Ltd., which operates the bus park, the highest number of passengers, nearly 31,000, left on Asoj 23, during the period from Asoj 17 to 25. More than 29,000 passengers left the valley on both Asoj 20 and Asoj 25. The bus park, which can accommodate about 800 buses, serves both short- and long-distance routes.

Meanwhile, the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office has intensified its awareness campaign targeting the festival season. According to office chief Senior Superintendent of Police Suresh Prasad Kafle, the campaign aims to reduce accidents and make travel safer, with focus on crowded spots such as New Bus Park, Naagdhunga and Koteshwor.

In Karnali, the Highway Safety and Traffic Management Office, Surkhet, has implemented a festival-focused security plan across all 10 districts. Under the plan, special checks will target drunk driving, overspeeding, overloading of passengers and haphazard parking.

Office chief Deputy Superintendent of Police Mukunda Prasad Rijal said police would be deployed on main highways, checkpoints and accident-prone road sections. Rijal himself visited checkpoints including the bus park, Bangesimal and Kapasे to assess the situation.