KATHMANDU, Sept 27: Transport operators have started taking advance booking from Monday targeting the passengers leaving the Kathmandu Valley for the upcoming Dashain festival, which starts from October 7.
According to the Department of Transport Management (DoTM), the transport entrepreneurs have opened the service for the medium-distance and long-distance travelers. It has set up help desks at 14 locations in the valley to provide necessary information to the service seekers.
The DoTM has started providing services from its unit offices located in New Bus Park, Machhapokhari, Swayambhu, Kalanki, Nagdhunga, Balkhu, Dakshinkali, Satdobato, Koteshwor, Jagati, Chabahil, Gaushala, Sundhara and Old Bus Park.
Crowd of people at Gongabu Bus Park to book tickets for Dashain...
According to the DoTM, the authority has not changed the fares of transport service during the festival. The government body has already raised the transport fares of passenger vehicles by 28 percent since mid-July this year. Similarly, the charges of cargo trucks have been increased by 20 percent in the hilly region while the fares in terai region have been hiked by 26 percent.
At the new rates, the ticket price has been fixed at Rs 2,568 per individual on the route of Kathmandu-Attariya-Chainpur (Bajhang), one of the longest journeys for domestic travellers. Similarly, the travel cost along Kathmandu-Attariya-Martadi (Bajura) is Rs 2,582 per person.
The one-way bus fares for Surkhet-Dharan and Kathmandu-Jajarkot routes have been fixed at Rs 2,130 and Rs 1,938 per person respectively. Likewise, the cost of travel from Biratnagar to Mahendranagar is now Rs 2,002 per person.
The DoTM has allowed the operators of deluxe bus service to charge 20 percent additional amount on the aforementioned rates.
