Sept 30, Kathmandu- District administration office Kavrepalanchowk has prohibited the operation of tippers on two highways in the district from today.

The office has taken this decision to reduce traffic accidents during Dashain. It has also been decided to prohibit the operation of tippers on Araniko and BP highways and to implement time cards for other vehicles. Chief District Officer Humkala Pandey informed that in a discussion with the officials of the Transport Service Committee, it has been decided that tippers will not be allowed to operate on the two highways from today till October 10th, and time cards should be implemented for public vehicles.

According to him, the decision was taken to manage the flow of passengers coming from the central capital, Kathmandu, to the eastern district via the route of Kavrepalanchowk to celebrate Dashain. 2,500 tippers have been transporting construction materials on two highways daily.

According to the office, on the routes where the time card is applied, 40 minutes for Mangaltar-Bhakunde 18 km distance under VP highway, 35 minutes for Bhakundebensi-Kavrevanjang 13 km distance, 35 minutes for Kavrevanjang-Bhakundebensi and 30 minutes for Dhulikhel-Panchkhaal 15 km on Arniko Highway, Panchkhaal-Dolalghat A time limit of 20 minutes has been fixed for 10 km distance.

On the days of Phulpati, Ashtami and Navami, there is more traffic on the BP highway than on the Araniko highway. Keeping in view the possibility of increased traffic on both the highways this year, the administration and transport businessmen held a discussion on Thursday with the aim of improving the environment for passengers to come and go easily and reducing accidents.

It is said that in the discussion, it was also decided to raise awareness about public transport fares, online ticketing based on passenger seat capacity, and compliance with the norms of Covid-19. Similarly, it has been decided to board only passengers wearing masks in public transport, to keep sanitizers in vehicles mandatory, to inform passengers at the beginning to maintain social distance as much as possible, to drive vehicles only after checking them, and to conduct regular monitoring by the police and traffic police.

Arrangements have been made to inform the passengers of the passenger help desks and police hotline numbers established at nine locations in the district in case of irregular fares or any other problems.