September 23: The Department of Transportation Management is preparing to open ticket booking for Dashain. The department called the members of the National Federation of Nepali Transport Entrepreneurs on Thursday to discuss about advance ticket booking.

The department has been issuing advance tickets every year as the number of people leaving the Kathmandu Valley to their villages increases uncontrollably during the Dashain festival. About 2 million people leave Kathmandu every year. But last year, only 500,000 people bought tickets due to the threat of Covid-19 infection. The actual number is believed to be around 800,000 since the transport entrepreneurs were suspected of carrying more passengers than the number of seats.

Despite the threat of Covid-19 infection, the number of people leaving Kathmandu for Dashain this year is expected to double than that of last year, according to Loknath Bhusal, spokesperson for the department.

"We have summoned the businessmen and the Traffic Police Division to the department on Thursday to discuss the issue of advance ticket booking," he said, “Preparations are being made to open advance booking of tickets within the last week of September as the number of passengers is sure to increase.”

The Department had called the representative of the Federation and the Chief of the Metropolitan Traffic Division, SSP Janak Bhattarai in order to request the advance ticket booking from August 26 itself. But the federation was reluctant to open the advance ticket immediately saying that they should discuss with the entrepreneurs first.

The government has increased the fare for long distance route by 28 percent since July 13. As a result, the passengers travelling this year will have to pay the increased fare. Saroj Sitaula, General Secretary of the federation, said that the businessmen are preparing to open advance tickets with additional fare. "After having discussions with the department, the date for opening the ticket booking would be fixed," said Sitaula.