Passenger assistance centres established along major highways

BY OUR CORRESPONDENTS,Syagja/Salyan, Sept. 25: In preparation for the upcoming festivals like Dashain and Tihar, authorities have established passenger assistance centres at various locations along major highways to ensure the smooth and safe travel of passengers.

In Syangja, with an increasing number of vehicles using the Siddhartha Highway due to congestion on the Muglin-Narayanghat road section, the District Police Office and the Traffic Police Office have collaborated to set up assistance counters. These counters aim to help travellers navigate potential issues like overcharging, double ticketing, and unsafe travel during the peak travel season. Key locations such as the district headquarters in Syangja, Waling, Galyang, and Birkot have been selected for these centres. The assistance counters will provide vital services such as information dissemination, ticketing support, fare monitoring, and emergency assistance.

The District Police Chief of Syangja, Deputy Superintendent of Police Dadhiram Neupane, emphasised that these centres are designed to make travel more comfortable and secure, particularly during the festivals when the volume of passengers typically increases. The centres will also address any complaints regarding unfair practices and ensure passengers have a safe journey.

Similarly, in Salyan, the District Traffic Police Office, in collaboration with the District Police Office, has established several assistance centres across key locations to minimise potential travel issues during the festive period. Locations such as Shrinagar in Sharada Municipality, Salli Bazaar in Bangad Kupinde Municipality, Kapurkot in Kapurkot Rural Municipality, and Tharmare Bazaar in Baghchaur Municipality have been identified as focal points.

According to Senior Police Inspector Ashok Kumar Khadka, the intention behind setting up these assistance counters is to address common issues that arise during the festivals, such as double ticketing and unregulated fares. Passengers will also have access to immediate support in case of emergencies, and complaints can be directed to the relevant police offices.

In both districts, authorities have taken additional steps to manage traffic more effectively during the festive rush. In Salyan, ‘No Parking’ boards have been installed in four key locations to curb unauthorised parking, which often leads to traffic jams and accidents. In Syangja, traffic police will closely monitor parking and ensure that road rules are followed to reduce the risks associated with disorganised traffic.

Additionally, both the Syangja and Salyan traffic police will be conducting regular checks on rural roads and highways like the Dang Road section of the Rapti Highway and the Bheri Corridor in Surkhet-Jajarkot. The police have also vowed to take action against drivers under the influence of alcohol, prevent overloading, and encourage speed control.