The Metropolitan Traffic Police Division has announced plans to set up a surveillance system targeting the upcoming festival season from this week.

SP Rameshwor Yadav, the spokesperson for the division, said they were working in collaboration with the Department of Transport Management to install 11 information centres for citizens to manage the travel related issues during the festival.

Each help desk will consist of traffic police, consumer rights’ groups and transportation stakeholders to help the passengers .

“Earlier also, we used to keep a help desk before Dashain but this time we are more focused on the Covid-19 health protocols,” said Yadav.

The help desks are set to be installed in Kalanki, Bakhu, New Bus Park, Koteshwor, Satdobato, Gaushala, Nagdhunga, Chabahil, Dakshinkali including other places with full protections for the prevention of Covid-19 transmission.

The division has also deployed over a dozen traffic police in 10 different places to monitor the health protocols and transport fares.

Authorities arrested more than 10 people on charge of overcharging passengers for travel fares at Klanki and Balkhu in the past two days.

“We are seriously monitoring the incidents of price gouging when it comes to travel fares,” said Senior Superintendent of Police Bhim Prasad Dhakal, also the chief of the division.

The government on September 17 opened the operation of long-haul vehicles after a six-month-long gap. As per the new rule, public vehicles were allowed to operate under the one-passenger-per-seat rule and charge 50 percent above their regular fare.

After a surge in Covid-19 cases in the Valley and an increase in the number of vehicles violating the odd-even rule, the division office from last week has been strictly monitoring the vehicles.

Spokesperson Yadav said the traffic police has been booking over 1,000 motorists every day for violating the odd-even vehicle rule.

“We are committed to following all government protocol. This time our focus will be to send people safely to their home and without being cheated by the transport operators,” said Dhakal.

He requested the public to call at 103 if they feel that they are being overcharged or the concerned transport companies are not following the standard health and safety protocol.

According to the division office, 21,500 people left the Valley in 4,560 outbound vehicles on Wednesday. Nearly the same number of people also entered the Valley on the day.

The division estimates that fewer than 700,000 people will leave the Valley due to the Covid-19 pandemic this festival season. Earlier, over two million people used to leave the Valley to reach their hometowns to celebrate the Dashain festival.