Kathmandu:The exodus of over 109,000 people from the Kathmandu Valley is underway as residents leave to celebrate the Dashain festival with their families. Since Ghatasthapana, 109,636 individuals have traveled from the Valley to their hometowns to join extended family for the festivities.
According to National News Agency Nepal, the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office reported that these passengers have left the Valley using 17,139 vehicles during this period. The migration includes 41,946 women and 67,690 men, with congestion increasing at major exit points as Dashain approaches.
Senior Superintendent of Police Suresh Prasad Kafle noted the intensifying rush on public transport, both long- and short-distance, as residents return to their origins. The traffic police are focusing on managing the heavy vehicular movement at checkpoints such as Nagdhunga, Pharping, and Thankot, among others.
The number of people leaving is expected to increase further as the festival nears. The challenge remains to ensure safe and smooth journeys amid the festive season’s travel surge. Traffic police are maintaining round-the-clock road surveillance to minimize accidents and facilitate movement.
SSP Kafle urged travelers to be cautious about vehicle conditions, driver’s health, and driving hours to reduce potential accidents. The Department of Transport Management confirmed that traffic flows in both directions on key routes, including Nagdhunga-Naubise and Muglin-Narayanghat.
Despite the efforts to ease travel, Punya Prasad Sitaula, President of the Federation of Nepalese National Transport Entrepreneurs, advised passengers to plan for extended travel times due to vehicle congestion. Dashain remains a significant cultural and family event, prompting many Nepalis to return to ancestral homes for the celebration.