Kathmandu Valley sees surge in public movement

Kathmandu - The public movement in Kathmandu Valley has seen a surge lately with the lifting of prohibitory order imposed to contain community level spread of COVID-19 in the Valley. The vehicles have begun plying the roads in the Valley that almost wore a deserted looks during the prohibitory order in the beginning of September.

Traffic congestion has increased subsequently. More and more people were entering Kathmandu Valley, contributing to the increased public movement, according to the Metropolitan Traffic Police Division (MTPD), Kathmandu. According to Kathmandu Valley Municipalities Forum secretary Madan Sundar Shrestha, the mayors of municipalities in the Valley had furnished suggestions to the government not to open entry points to Kathmandu Valley but to no avail.

"As a result," Shrestha argued, "The COVID-19 cases were surging in the Valley. Around 20,000 vehicles have been entering Valley on a daily basis while the number of outgoing vehicles is similar. Currently, there's even-odd number system put in place for the vehicles in Valley which has not been so effectively implemented,

contributing to the increase in people's movement. SSP Bhim Prasad Dhakal, Chief of the MTPD, said that the people's movement in the Valley has increased since the even-odd number system was relaxed for a couple of days. Now onwards the even-odd system on the vehicle would be implemented strictly. As many as 1,100 vehicles were booked for violating even-odd system as of today noon.