KATHMANDU: The usually congested roads of the Kathmandu Valley appeared remarkably empty on the occasion of Vijaya Dashami (Bada Dashain), as thousands of residents have left the capital to celebrate the festival in their hometowns.
With most people traveling to their districts and villages for Dashain and Tihar, and many locals choosing to stay indoors for family gatherings, the valley has taken on a quiet, almost deserted appearance.
Roads that are typically choked with traffic have seen an unusual calm, offering a rare glimpse of a quieter Kathmandu. According to Superintendent of Police Naresh Raj Subedi, spokesperson for the Valley Traffic Police Office, more than 550,000 people have exited the valley from various checkpoints traveling in over 83,000 vehicles. The total number of people who have left Kathmandu for the festival is estimated to have reached around 550,000.
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