KATHMANDU: In preparation for Dashain, the biggest celebration for Nepalis, around 100,000 people leave the Kathmandu Valley every day to head back to their hometowns. At the four main transit hubs in the Valley, there is a noticeable influx of passengers.
Rabin Karki, Deputy Superintendent of Police at the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Office, saw a significant rise in the number of cars and passengers departing the Valley. He noted that this pattern has persisted for the last three days, with more people traveling on Monday and today than on Sunday and Tuesday.
Despite the heavy traffic at key locations such as Buspark, Kalanki, Balkhu, Koteshwar, and Sitapaila, passengers this year do not face long waiting times at transit points, a contrast to the situation during last year’s Dashain.
Major routes such as the Dakshinkali-Hetauda and Kanti highways, together with the Araniko, Tribhuvan, and Prithvi highways, are being used by a large number of visitors to reach different places outside the Valley.
Apart from the large-scale migration, Kathmandu is witnessing a daily influx of over 30,000 individuals, suggesting a lively mood in the capital during this festival season.