A total of 884,095 passengers have left the Kathmandu Valley over the past 20 days, with outbound travel rising sharply due to Holi and the upcoming elections. As a result, roads across the Valley now appear largely deserted.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Sunil Jung Shah of the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office said both public and private vehicle movement inside the Valley has declined significantly.

“Many people have left for the elections, leading to a very low number of vehicles on the roads,” he said. “This has eased traffic management in recent days.”

Most traffic police personnel have been deployed for election security, leaving traffic management with limited manpower.

Shah said traffic police have been checking vehicles leaving the Valley at Nagdhunga, Balaju and Samakhusi in Kathmandu; Jagati in Bhaktapur; and Pharping and Chapagaun in Lalitpur. Passengers have also been advised about safe travel before departure.

“Motorcyclists, in particular, have been warned about accidents caused by speeding,” he said. “We are reminding travellers not to drive after consuming alcohol or at high speed.”

According to the traffic police, the number of passengers and vehicles leaving the Valley declined on Wednesday. Only medium-distance vehicles operated after the authorities barred vehicles from plying from midnight on Wednesday ahead of Thursday’s elections.

Pankaj Malla, spokesperson for Lhotse Multi-Purpose Private Limited, which manages the Gangabu-based New Bus Park, said the most vehicles departed on Sunday, March 1.

“On Sunday alone, 480 passenger vehicles left the bus park, whereas normally only 300 to 350 vehicles operate daily,” he said. “A few vehicles departed on Wednesday morning, but as vehicle operation is prohibited from midnight, the ticket counters were closed from Wednesday noon for the entire election period. The bus park is now deserted.”

He said around 150,000 passengers have purchased tickets from the bus park since Friday.

“The rush of passengers travelling to different districts resembled the Dashain season, as there were several public holidays,” Malla said. “Most passengers were travelling to cast their votes.”

According to him, around 300 passenger vehicles left the bus park on Tuesday, while 15 buses departed for Pokhara, Butwal and Bhairahawa on Wednesday morning.