KATHMANDU: Public transportation has come to operation nearly after 6 months of the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak.

After the government decided to let the public transportation come into operation ensuring only 50% of the seating capacity is occupied, transport service operators have resumed the long suspended services.

The latest decision made on the government side allows the transportation service providers to hike the fare by 50%.

Based on it, the entrepreneurs have resumed transportation in the short, medium and long route since last Thursday.

With the resumption of transportation service, the market is getting momentum.

Not only this, with the change in the season and the months of major festivals in proximity the outflow for the hometowns is also increasing remarkably as well.

The people who suffered nearly half-a-year-long lockdown and prohibitory orders trapped in the capital city are crowding at the bus parks to go back home now.

According to Metropolitan Traffic Police Division, in the last 4 days of resumption of public vehicles, 14,229 vehicles have entered the valley whereas 14,173 vehicles went out the valley at the same time.

SSP Bhim Dhakal holds the long time suspension of lockdown and prohibitory order periods responsible for the sudden increase in the movement of the people esp. for the outflow now.

“Now 10-15 thousand people are leaving Kathmandu valley every day,” he told Khabarhub, “In 4 days, some 55,641 people have left the capital city.”

Not only the outflow the inflow of the people to the Valley has also increased remarkably.

The reopening and resumption of the trade and services stalled due to COVID-19 has also drawn the people back to Kathmandu.

“As many as 49,265 people have come back to Kathmandu Valley in the last 4 days,” SSP Dhakal told Khabarhub, “The inflow and outflow are somehow similar.”

Public urged to phone on time

Although the directives issued to ensure health safety standards are met in the public transportation sector hail it mandatory to arrange for sanitizer and maintain social distance, it has been implemented by the transportation service providers.

The workers and the entrepreneurs of the transportation sector have promised to abide by the health safety standards set by the government and WHO whereas the Department of Transport Management, Transportation Offices and Metropolitan Traffic Division are assigned to monitor it.

SSP Dhakal regards public cooperation and participation as a must to make the program a success.

“The driver and other staff should use masks, visor, gloves and sanitizer,” he told Khabarhub, “Provided the sanitizers are not available and the social distancing regulation is not abided strictly, the public should inform the police.”

He added that as police can’t reach everywhere, as a conscious citizen, the public should phone at 103 and let the police know which vehicle has not abided by the directives.

“Provided the public cooperated and informed the police about the breach of the regulations, the police will reach there and take action instantly,” SSP Dhakal shared his expectation from the public.