Transporters open bookings for Dashain

National Transport Entrepreneurs Federation of Nepal (NTEFN) -- the umbrella organization of transporters -- has opened advance booking for passangers travelling to different destinations to celebrate the Dashain festival.

One can book their tickets in advance from five different places of Kathmandu, including Kalanki, Koteshwor, Sundhara, New Bus Park at Gongabu and Gaushala Chowk, said Dolnath Khanal general secretary of NTEFN.

Through the advance booking, they said they will soon get a clear picture of outflow, based on which they will take further steps to better manage the pressure during the Dashain travel.

For now, the entrepreneurs have assumed that the number of people who would want to go to their home towns and villages to celebrate the festival will go up by 25 percent this year.

"A total of 150,000 people would leave the Valley every day from October 16 to 23 once the Dashain holiday starts," said Saroj Sitaula, treasurer of NTEFN.

In order manage the pressure, entrepreneurs have planned to double the number of buses and micro-buses.

"According to our data, normally around 600 vehicles leave the Kathmandu Valley every day; for Dashain we are preparing to double the number from October 6," said Sitaula.

According to NTEFN, transporters operating along the Araniko highway opened advance booking from last Sunday, while 203 different transporters organization operating passenger vehicles to other destinations across the country started advance booking from Wednesday.

Operators in Gandaki zone are yet to open booking, but NTEFN officials said they too will start accepting advance bookings from the end of this week.
“Not surprisingly, 25 percent of the seats that we opened for booking has been sold on the very first day,” said Sitaula. “The demand is high in the eastern sectors, while it is slightly low in the western sectors,” he added.

Given the strong initial response, entrepreneurs expressed hope of making a good business this Dashain than the last year. In each bus, entrepreneurs said they are providing discount for only five students.

Leading chain of vehicles like Agni Yatayat that are not involved in any syndicate of transporters´ committee too has opened the bookings for Dashain. These operators, which operate with relatively better vehicles and provide quaity services, are selling the tickets for deluxe and normal buses.

“Deluxe buses have been operated for the people willing travel luxuriously,” said Rajan Dahal, executive of Agni Yatayat.

Compared to the last years, the ticket fares this year has gone up by up to Rs 200 for different destinations. “Good for us is, that has not deterred the Dashain travelers,” Dahal added.

source:republica,26 Sept 2012