Police Act on 60 Unfit Public Vehicles as 109,636 Leave Kathmandu Valley for Dashain

More than 109,000 people left Kathmandu Valley in the first three days of Dashain, Nepal's biggest festival, as families across the country head home to celebrate. The Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office told Republica and DC Nepal that 109,636 people left the valley in 17,139 vehicles between Ghatasthapana, Sunday, October 11, and Tuesday, October 13.

If you are travelling by bus this week, or waiting for family to arrive, the same three days saw a special police drive meant to keep the roads safe. It took action against 60 public vehicles in poor mechanical condition, DC Nepal reported.

Of the departing passengers, 41,946 were women and 67,690 were men, Senior Superintendent of Police Suresh Prasad Kafle, chief of the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office, told Republica. He said passenger numbers had risen on both long and short distance public vehicles. His office reported traffic building at Nagdhunga, Pharping, Thankot, Bhimdhunga, Tinpiple, Sankhu, Bhaktapur and Bhattedanda, the valley's main exit points. "Our traffic police personnel are deployed on the roads 24 hours a day to ensure passenger safety and reduce road accidents," Kafle said.

During the same window, the special drive booked 158 drivers, Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police said, according to DC Nepal. Police arrested 149 drivers for driving after drinking alcohol. Police took 9 more drivers into control for driving public vehicles after taking drugs, and took action against them.

What the coverage missed

Republica's English report does not carry DC Nepal's breakdown of the drive. Of the 149 drivers arrested for alcohol, only 9 were driving public vehicles, DC Nepal reported, citing traffic police. The remaining 9 drug driving cases were all public vehicle drivers, meaning just 18 of the 158 total bookings involved public vehicles.

The same drive flagged 60 public vehicles as mechanically unfit and booked 76 vehicles for speeding, DC Nepal reported. Republica's report does not mention these figures, and nothing in either report says whether the unfit vehicles were pulled from service or fined and sent back onto the road. Republica quotes only the traffic police chief and a transport industry leader by name. DC Nepal attributes its enforcement figures to traffic police generally, with no named quote. Neither carries any count of accidents, injuries or deaths on valley roads over the same three days, despite the drive's stated goal of reducing crashes.

Separately, the Department of Transport Management, the government body that regulates vehicles and drivers, warned on Tuesday that drivers and roadside hotel and restaurant operators will face legal action if passengers fall ill after eating at their establishments, OnlineKhabar reported. The department said it had received complaints about passengers falling ill after low quality food on highway routes, and told drivers of public vehicles to prioritise clean eateries and, where possible, choose ones displaying hygiene stickers issued by the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control. Passengers can report problems by calling police on 100, OnlineKhabar reported.

Punya Prasad Sitoula, chair of the Federation of Nepal National Transport Entrepreneurs, told Republica that roads leading out of the valley and public transport are likely to face more pressure as more people head home for Dashain, and advised passengers to allow extra time for their journeys. Authorities expect the number leaving to rise further, Republica reported.

What we still do not know

Were the 60 mechanically unfit public vehicles pulled from service, or fined and allowed back on the road? The Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office or the Department of Transport Management could say.

How many accidents, injuries or deaths happened on valley exit roads during the same three days? Nepal Police's traffic records could answer this.

Of the 76 vehicles booked for speeding, how many were public vehicles? DC Nepal's report does not say.

Has any driver or roadside eatery actually faced legal action under the Department of Transport Management's food safety warning before this Dashain? The department could say.