Dasain is approaching, there is no rush for ticket booking

This year, Dasain falls on October 17, but there is confusion about advance booking. Businessmen say that there has been no discussion between transport businessmen and government agencies about when to open bookings. One/two transports have opened advance bookings on their own without waiting for the government's decision. So far, East Arnico Transport Pvt Ltd and Prithvi Highway Transport have opened advance bookings.

About two million passengers leave the valley during Dasain. As there is no decision to open advance booking, passengers have started booking tickets spontaneously, fearing that they will not get tickets later at the counters. Transport professionals have been saying that until the road is improved, it will be a problem to take passengers to the festival. Their demand is that the road should be made easy before the reduction. As the monsoon continues, there is a problem of landslides on the main highway. According to the road department, traffic has come to a standstill due to landslides at 617 places on various road sections till Tuesday evening. The problem has been compounded by landslides in more than half a dozen places on the same highway.

Saroj Sitaula, the senior vice president of the National Federation of Nepal Transport Professionals, said that there is a problem in driving due to the deterioration of the roads across the country. "There is a problem in Baireni of Naubise-Malekhu section, let's not talk about the bad condition of the roads in the rural areas," he said, "Dasain is not the only way to take passengers to the headquarters, it is to take them to the villages in the rural areas. For that, the roads should be good."

He said that the same vehicle will return to Kathmandu and carry passengers, so the government should make the road to the destination easy and problem-free. "Even if we don't do any other work, it would be a big relief for us if we avoid potholes and make it easier for vehicles to pass," he said Infrastructure and Transport Minister Devendra Dahal has called the ministry to discuss issues such as advance booking. "We have been discussing the opening of advance bookings internally," he said. He claimed that it was wrong. Last year, there was a delay in the opening of bookings when the businessman brought forward the issue of rent adjustment. The booking was opened 6 days before the reduction.

'The number of passengers going home for Dasain will be more after the reduction,' he said, 'so the government should solve all the problems of the roads in the country and create a driving environment.' has done Citaula says that the first priority should be given to passenger vehicles. "Until now, we were in favor of setting a date for opening bookings and preparing accordingly," he said is Where the risk of landslides and traffic jams are high. The problem is more in Nagadhunga to Muglin and Muglin to Pokhara sections. There are more problems on Narayangadh-Butwal road which is under expansion. Landslides in places of BP Ramajarg have blocked the traffic. Similarly, there is a problem of landslides in some parts of highways such as Madhyapahari and Madanbhandari under construction.

Transport professionals, traffic police and other concerned agencies have been called to the discussion, said Sushilbabu Dhakal, Joint Secretary and Spokesperson of the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport.

'There is some inconvenience as the highways connecting Kathmandu are being upgraded, now everyone is interested as the highway is closed due to landslides, so it is late for advance booking,' he said. From Ghatasthapana, the pressure of vehicles leaving the valley is high. During the festival, up to 2 lakh passengers leave in a day.