Monsoon Disaster Mitigation Campaign Launched for Roads and Vehicles

Kathmandu. The 'Road and Vehicle Targeted Monsoon Disaster Mitigation Campaign-2083' has been launched to minimize road and vehicle damage that may occur due to monsoon-induced disasters.

The campaign was inaugurated today from Gongabu's New Buspark with the initiative of Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office and in collaboration with the Federation of National Transport Entrepreneurs of Nepal and various labor organizations.

The campaign was inaugurated by the Chief of Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office and Additional Inspector General of Police Ishwar Karki. In the program, he expressed confidence that the campaign will play an important role in minimizing road and vehicle damage that may occur due to monsoon-induced disasters.

Additional Inspector General of Police Karki stated that since weather forecasts are now being issued by the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, following the weather forecast will help in accident reduction. He said that the main responsibility of implementing the weather forecast lies with the drivers, co-drivers, and passengers.

Additional Inspector General of Police Karki stated that although the New Buspark is operational in Gongabu, Kathmandu, the operation of public transport from outside the buspark has caused problems in traffic management within Kathmandu. He clarified that action will be taken if transport is operated from outside the buspark. He informed that arrangements are being made to issue tickets for all public transport vehicles online.

Punnya Prasad Sitoula, Chairman of the Federation of National Transport Entrepreneurs of Nepal, said that the campaign has been launched by learning lessons from past vehicle accidents in places like Simaltal and Jhyaple Khola, and the responsibility of implementing it lies with transport entrepreneurs, laborers, and passengers.

He expressed commitment to fully implement this campaign, which is also for transport entrepreneurs, laborers, and passengers, put forward by the government. He stated that transport entrepreneurs will always have the support and cooperation for the positive work done by the government.

Chairman Sitoula said that well-managed bus parks have been built across the country, including in Kathmandu, for bus parking, and now public transport vehicles should only operate from bus parks. He mentioned that all public buses within Kathmandu will operate from the New Buspark and its management should be done by Lotse Multipurpose Company.

He emphasized that drivers and co-drivers of public transport should behave well with passengers and serve organic and local food on the way.

Representatives from the National Disaster Risk Reduction Authority, Ram Bahadur KC, and technical advisor to the National Road Safety Council, Saroj Pradhan, among others, expressed confidence that this campaign will help reduce accidents through the optimal use of technology.

Deepak KC, Chairman of the All Nepal Transport Workers' Union, expressed confidence that the campaign will play a helpful role in reducing the significant loss of life and property caused by problems such as road subsidence, landslides, and floods during travel.

Navraj Adhikari, Chief of Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office and Senior Superintendent of Police, informed that the campaign has been launched with the objective of ensuring that public transport vehicles leaving Kathmandu are not damaged by monsoon activities.

Under this campaign, passenger assistance desks will be operated in areas such as Gongabu's New Buspark, Kalanki, Nagdhunga, Koteshwor, Jagaati, Balkhu, etc., to provide public awareness materials for protection from monsoon-induced disasters. Traffic Chief Adhikari also informed that CCTV cameras and GPS systems will be installed in public transport vehicles as soon as possible for monitoring.

Baggage Tag Mandatory for Passengers

Baggage tags will be provided to passengers traveling in public transport vehicles. The baggage tag is being made mandatory due to the increasing problems of lost, stolen, or exchanged bags of passengers traveling in public transport vehicles.

Chief of Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office and Senior Superintendent of Police Adhikari and Chairman of the Federation of National Transport Entrepreneurs of Nepal, Sitoula, signed a memorandum of understanding today regarding making baggage tags mandatory.

Federation Chairman Sitoula informed that preparations are underway to make the baggage tag system mandatory from Jestha 15. During the program, Lok Bahadur Tandon, Chairman of Green City Hospital and senior social worker, who helped in the construction of the Traffic Police Circle New Buspark building, and Pandav Shrestha, Chairman of Samakhushi Town Planning Committee, were honored.