Kathmandu. In the previous years, during the festive season of Dashain, people had to wait long hours queueing at New bus park to acquire tickets. This year, the second day of Navaratri saw the bus park deserted. The park is marked for prevention and control of coronavirus infection, however, people have not showed up.

Anju Upreti, who bought tickets for Surkhet, mentioned that she got the tickets this year with ease, unlike the previous years. She billed her ticket for Surkhet in the morning of the day the bus was leaving and chose the seat. She said, “I have not been able to go to Surkhet for ten years and I am happy that I can this year.”

Chief of the Metropolitan Traffic Police, Senior Superintendent of Police Bhim Prasad Dhakal asserted that the number of passengers in the bus park area has declined this year as most passengers went home before the lockdown started. He also added that in the past, 80,000 to 100,000 passengers used to leave the Kathmandu Valley daily from Ghatasthapana to Fulpati, but the number has reduced to 10,000 from 20,000 passengers per day.

The traffic police has deployed eight police teams in civilian disguise to take action against the bus driver who charges more fare during the festival, troubling the passengers. Similarly, 14 citizen helplines have been set up. Transport businessmen are dismayed that the public transport, dormant for six months due to the lockdown, could not be revived due to the lack of passengers.

Saroj Sitaula, the General Secretary of the Federation of Nepalese National Transport Entrepreneurs, asserted that most of the passengers had reserved small vehicles to reach their destinations. “Most of the passengers have gone home before the lockdown.The bus park area is deserted because the government has asked the remaining passengers to celebrate Dashain wherever they are,” added Sitaula.