NTB to provide passes on election day

To facilitate arriving and departing tourists from Tribhuvan International Airport on election day, Nepal Tourism Board has made a special arrangement to provide security and transportation service.

“During previous elections there used to be only 10-15 tourist passes but this year we have made a special arrangement to provide infinite number of tourist passes as per the necessity and recommendation but the passes can only be used while travelling from the airport to a hotel and vice versa. The passes are not for sightseeing purposes,” said director of NTB Aditya Baral.

NTB has already issued a notice to all tour and travel companies which states that the recommendation has to be made for tourist vehicles carrying tourists from the airport to a hotel and vice versa for not less than 15 passengers from a single company.

According to the notice, recommendation for individual vehicles for the election pass will not be entertained. One pass each will be provided to a travel company after it provides proof of passengers’ air ticket booking, and a photocopy of the bill book of the vehicle that will be used. The company must also provide the name and photocopy of the driving licence of the driver and identity card of the person accompanying the driver in the vehicle along with a request letter.

“We have already taken permission from Election Commission to operate five to six regular shuttle buses and if the number of tourists is more than 15, it will provide passes to operate other required buses if tour and travel operators provide required documents with all necessary details,” he said.

“We have also made a special arrangement of tourist police at tourist sites, areas at high risk, and airport, so that if there is any emergency, tourists can directly approach the tourist police for help,” added Baral.

TIA to extend operating hours
On the election day, Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) has planned to operate the airport for extended hours. “The Home Ministry has asked us to extend operating hours on the election day and to allow flights till late hours if it is necessary,” said TIA general manager Dinesh Prasad Shrestha. According to Shrestha, the airport is normally open from 6:00am to 11:30pm and during emergencies, that is in case some flights are delayed, the airport is operational till 12:30am. For the election day, the TIA Civil Aviation Office has already requested the CDO office to provide passes for 150 green licence plate taxis to operate from the airport to hotels and vice versa.

source:the himalayan times,14 Nov 2013