KATHMANDU: At least 33 people have faced action for fleecing passengers leaving the Kathmandu Valley for home for Dashain festival, said the police.

They defrauded the passengers through various means like overcharging transport fares and producing fake tickets, said Senior Superintendent of Police Rajendra Bhatta, chief of the Metropolitan Police Office, Kathmandu.

Police personnel in civvies deployed to monitor and take action against people cheating passengers during festivals arrested them from various places of the Valley. They were sent to the respective metropolitan police circles or sectors for further investigation and action, he said.

A total of 1,468 police workforce has been deployed targeting upcoming festivals like Dashain, Tihar and Chhath, he said. Mechanical testing of passenger vehicles has been also carried out. So far, police took under control 98 vehicles operating in bad condition, he said, adding that most of them were found with brake problems.

Similarly, in view of the festivals, the Police Office in coordination with the Department of Transport Management and transport entrepreneurs set up passenger help desks at 14 places in the Valley including Kalanki, Thankot, Halchowk, Machhapokhari, Chabahil, Satdobato, Balkhu, Koteshwor and Old Bus Park.

Checking points in the Valley have been increased to 71 places from 36 earlier, he said. Vehicles carrying passengers have been put on tight surveillances, he said. Drink-driving, over-speeding and vehicles carrying passengers beyond seat capacity have been monitored. Two drivers for passenger vehicles and vehicles insurance are mandatory. Similarly, they should be in good condition.

Likewise, in a bid to reduce pressure of people in bazaar areas in New Road during festivals, parking lots have been managed in Khulla Manch (open theater), he said.