“I doubt whether I will be celebrating Dashain with my family,” said Pariyar. “They are assuring us they will bring in a few extra buses but they will also charge extra for such buses.”[break]
A permanent resident of Silgadhi, Pariyar wants the bus ticket to his hometown before Ghatasthapana, the first day of Dashain, but his dream of getting home for the big occasion is still pending for lack of a bus ticket.
“My parents are waiting for me desperately and I am also excited to be going home,” shares Pariyar. “The transporters must provide tickets and we do not want their discounts either.”
Pariyar, a +2 student at Universal College, is very much disappointed with the bus operators. Like Pariyar, Laxmi Bhatta, 19, who has just completed his +2 and came to the capital for further studies, was upset after he failed to get a bus ticket to his hometown of Mahendranagar on Friday.
“I have now decided to go by air,” said Bhatta. “Though it is expensive, I have no choice if I am to celebrate Dashain with my family.” Like Pariyar and Bhatta, there are many who are scrambling for bus tickets. From the first day the government and the Federation of Nepalese National Transport Entrepreneurs (FNNTE) opened a counter for advance ticket bookings from September 18 onwards, thousands of people have gathered in front of different ticket counters to book their tickets for Dashain, the biggest festival of the country.
Although FNNTE has given an assurance that 100 new buses will be operated on different routes during Dashain, people are not getting a sufficient number of bus tickets. Along with the advent of the new buses, FNNTE has said that other buses which are operating once a week will now be making a maximum number of runs during Dashain. Normally, 1,000 buses leave Kathmandu Valley per day but during Dashain this number reaches 3,000.
In a bid to make life easier for the customers, the transporters have set up ticket counters at different points in Kathmandu Valley, such as Sundhara, Kalanki, Koteshwor, Old Bus Park, New Bus Park and Nagdhunga.
Though many ticket counters have been set up by the transport entrepreneurs, none of them have a full record of the bus tickets they have sold. “Many ticket counters are yet to be opened,” said Dol Nath Khanal, general-secretary of FNNTE.
“In a few days, we will furnish the records also.” Along with the ticket counters this year, the Department of Transport Management (DoTM) has set up 12 help desks to tackle the problems of passengers. People will find the help desks at different points in the Valley, such as Satdobato, Gaushala, Jorpati, Sundhara, Kalanki, New Bus Park, Old Bus Park and Koteshwar.
According to DoTM spokesperson Mukti KC, the help desks will should ameliorate the irregularities in transport during Dashain.
“The help desks are mainly for people vulnerable to cheating by transporters,” said KC. “Such people should come to us with proof and we will take action against such transporters.”
Like in previous years, the government and FNNTE have tried to ensure full security for public transportation during Dashain. “Our major goal is to provide maximum transport facilities and ensure their security,” said Khanal. “Though we are trying our level best to provide the facilities, the government should also finish all development work before Dashain.”
According to Khanal, most roads are not adequately maintained and as a result bus drivers are facing multiple difficulties. The government should complete all road reconstruction work before Dashain; otherwise the roads will become a huge problem also.
“We may have to cancel bus trips because of poor roads,” said Khanal. “The government should solve the problem on time if the people are to have a safe journey during Dashain.”
During Dashain the population of Kathmandu Valley decreases by half as people leave to celebrate the festival with their families back in their home districts.
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