With the on-going road construction in Kathmandu, the traffic jam has also increased immensely. Also, the ever-increasing number of vehicles and haphazard parking on the road has caused the roads to go narrower. At present, it takes the double amount of time to commute from one destination to another. There are a lot of people who complain about the dreadlocks on the streets each day and spend a lot of time on their travel from home to their workplace, and vice-versa. The problem is not just the traffic but the dust and pollution that have increased respiratory problems as well.
Statistically speaking, the total combined length of vehicles operating in the Kathmandu Valley is greater than the length of the roads itself. The length of the roads is 4.8 million feet whereas the length of vehicles is 7.2 million feet. The number of vehicles has increased to 900,000. As per the statistics, the traffic police take action against 1,800 people every day, which accumulates to 600,000 annually.
Country roads
The traffic police have been doing a great job to help provide convenience to the commuters. They stand, unmoved during their duty hours, in spite of the pollution, or difficult weather conditions. Be it heavy rain, scorching heat, dusty roads, they are always ready at their service. They have been controlling the traffic and vehicle movement at the best. However, there have been instances where the vehicle drivers are penalized without any proper reasoning. There is a certain fine for each offense, and the classes that they conduct are fruitful too.
Their tireless monitoring has alerted many commuters. Nonetheless, there are times when rules change without prior notice, sometimes even on occasions a single day. But who knows, it’s probably for the safety of the travelers. Also, being behind the wheels of a vehicle is a lot of responsibility, which also includes the proper knowledge of traffic rules.
