KATHMANDU, Oct 12: More than 207,000 passengers departed from Kathmandu's New Bus Park between October 3 and 11 to celebrate Dashain with their families, as the annual festive exodus from the Valley gathers pace.
Pankaj Malla, general manager of Lhotse Multipurpose Pvt. Ltd., which operates the bus park, said that 207,251 passengers left during the nine-day period.
The highest number of departures was recorded on October 9, when 31,235 passengers left the Valley. Another 29,602 departed on October 6 and 29,380 on October 11.
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The bus park recorded 18,729 departures on October 3, rising to 19,530 on October 4 and 23,016 on October 5. The number stood at 22,288 on October 7 and 25,201 on October 8 before dropping to 16,970 on October 10.
The festive rush has added pressure on transport operators already grappling with disruptions along major highways.
Deknath Gautam, general secretary of the Federation of Nepalese National Transport Entrepreneurs, said road conditions had complicated transport operations. He cited the road subsidence at Galaundi in Dhading along the Prithvi Highway on October 9, the day advance bus ticket bookings opened, as a major disruption.
The incident obstructed traffic and left many buses stranded in Kathmandu Valley, complicating passenger management, he said.
The federation has urged travellers to buy tickets before boarding, pay only the prescribed fares and check vehicle conditions before starting their journeys.
New Bus Park, which spans 161 ropanis and accommodates up to 800 buses serving long- and short-distance routes, is one of the capital's major transport hubs. Every year, Dashain prompts thousands of people to leave Kathmandu Valley for their hometowns and villages to reunite with family and celebrate the festival.