KATHMANDU: Kathmandu Valley saw the gradual return of public transport on Saturday after days of disruption caused by the Gen-Z protests. With the security lockdown now loosening, microbuses, taxis, and ride-sharing vehicles began reappearing on the roads, offering relief to commuters who had been stranded since Monday.
Drivers said they had taken the decision to resume services on their own initiative, as there were no longer security barriers preventing them.
“Driving this microbus is how I support my family,” said Rajan Sapkota, who was back on his Sano Thimi–Ratna Park route. “The restrictions are easing, people are in difficulty, so I decided to take the risk and return to the road.”
For passengers, the resumption brought a sense of normalcy. Sixty-year-old Prem Prasad Khatri, who boarded a microbus from Bhaktapur to meet his daughter and grandchildren in Kathmandu, said it was the first time he could leave home since Monday. “I waited an hour before finding this bus,” he recalled. “I hope tomorrow things will be easier.”
Others shared how the transport shutdown had disrupted daily life. Bhaktabahadur Majhi, who works in Kathmandu, said he had been forced to sleep in his office for four nights. “Now that vehicles are moving, I can finally go home,” he said.
Vendors, too, welcomed the partial reopening. “We saw shops reopening on our phones, but only after buses started moving could we come to Ratna Park for shopping,” said Lakshmi Lama, who was preparing for the Dashain festival.
Despite the return of vehicles, passengers remain scarce. “I had to sleep in Kalanki all week because I couldn’t move the microbus,” said Uddhav Khatri, a conductor on the Ratna Park–Kapan route. “Loan payments don’t stop even when the buses do. Today the roads are open, but passengers are still missing.”
Long-distance buses also resumed service from New Bus Park and major highway points, while essential goods vehicles had been operating since Thursday. Security personnel remained deployed but in smaller numbers compared to earlier in the week.
Still, the authorities have yet to officially declare the end of prohibitory orders. “No public announcement has been made, but we are coordinating with local administrations,” said Saroj Sitoula, General Secretary of the National Federation of Entrepreneurs.
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