Advanced bookings of bus tickets for the upcoming Dashain festival is scheduled to be opened from Thursday (September 7). The decision was made in view of the festive rush when hundreds of thousands of Nepalis leave Capital to be with their families for Dashain celebration.

A meeting among the Department of Transport Management (DoTM), Federation of Nepalese National Transport Entrepreneurs Association (FNNTEA), Traffic Police and representatives from Consumers’ Welfare Protection Forum held in the Capital on Friday made the decision to this effect.

Officials at the FNNTEA, an umbrella organisation of domestic transport entrepreneurs, said that the date for booking the bus tickets was finalised after the Transport Management agreed to put carriers and hood on the public vehicles. 

Earlier, the government had said that the public vehicles would not be allowed to put hood and carriers in buses citing risks of accidents.

Director General at the DoTM, transportation regulatory body, Rup Narayan Bhattarai said if any buses are found carrying passengers on the roof, the traffic police would seize the documents of the vehicle and punish them according to the law. 

General Secretary at the FNNTEA Saroj Sitaula said that they are ready to face any kind of punishment if any public buses carry passengers on the roof. 

During the festive season, especially Dashain, public buses are seen carrying passengers on the roof making the journey risky. 

A meeting of between the stakeholders, however, will finalise the ticket fee on Monday, said Sitaula.

According to DoTIM estimate, as many as 2.5 million people are set to leave the Valley to celebrate the festival this year.