Government cancels odd-even rule for public transportation

 After transport entrepreneurs’ pressure to start vehicular traffic, the government today lifted the odd-even rule for the public transportation. The transportation entrepreneurs – including Nepal Transport Workers Association, Nepal Transport Workers Association-Independent and All Nepal Transport Workers Union – have challenged the government to disobey the odd and even rule for vehicular traffic from Friday.

Issuing notices, all the three district administration offices of Kathmandu Valley – Kathmandu, lalitpur and Bhaktapur – today officially announced to end the odd-even system from tomorrow. The decision of lifting odd-even has been made after seeing overcrowding on public transport as people have started moving around with the businesses and offices are also open, the Kathmandu District Office confirmed. “All vehicles can ply in the Valley from tomorrow following health protocols.”

However, the public transportation have not been following the health and safety protocols, though government has been strict on them.

The transport entrepreneurs have been protesting against the government move calling for the lifting of the restrictions as their incomes had been curtailed. The government had imposed nationwide lockdown on March 24 until July 21, forcing the public transport to remain parked in their garages. Transportation is one of the hard hit sector after the government imposed lock down and restriction on movement to contain the coronavirus in Nepal.