KATHMANDU: Despite the government directive for a public vehicle to carry passengers only half than its actual seat capacity, many passenger vehicles plying in the outskirts of Kathmandu have largely violated the COVID-19 safety rules.

The Department of Transport Management has asked public vehicles to carry passengers half than their seat capacity when the government removed almost four months long nationwide lockdown to normalise activities since July 22.

On the day after lockdown was lifted, a public vehicle (Ba 3 Kha 623) plying between Sundarijal and Ratnapark was carrying passengers more than its seat capacity, according to Surendra Shrestha, who travelled on the vehicle.

However, vehicles plying within the Ring Road have followed the rules. Failure of traffic police to monitor the malpractice in public vehicles has made the matter worse.

When asked, Bamdev Gautam, Spokesperson for the Metropolitan Traffic Police Division, Ramshahpath admitted to their failure to monitor the negligence.

He blamed lack of human resources for it. Only limited number of workforce was on duty at Tokha and Budhanilkantha.

Human resources were focused at the centre of Kathmandu city. From today, workforce has been deployed on motorcycles at the areas outside the Ring Road like Sankhu, Gokarna and Bhaisepati to check whether the rules have been implemented properly.

Those flouting the rules will face action, said the Division.

RSS