Odd-even rationing on Kathmandu vehicles is virtually defunct, but cops are booking ‘innocent bikers’

Kathmandu, November 30

While relaxing restrictive measures imposed to control the spread of coronavirus in the Kathmandu valley, district administrative offices here imposed odd-even rationing on private vehicles from September 10.

One and a half months on, the rule has already turned defunct. After the big festivals of Dashain and Tihar, nobody seems to be following the rule. Neither are traffic police seriously checking the vehicles.

However, the cops at some junctions of the valley such as Babrmahal, Koteshwar, Pulchok, and Bhadrakali are seen stopping some motorbikes every morning on the charge of flouting the rule. Interestingly, they just check the bikes for one hour or so in the morning only.

It has troubled the bikers. “If they are imposing the rule, it should be the same for everyone,” Dinesh Acharya, whose bike was confiscated by the police at Koteshwar on Saturday, says, “Otherwise, they should stop troubling the innocent people only.”

But, an official of the Metropolitan Traffic Police Division says, “We have not received any circular that the rule is removed. Therefore, there is no option to checking and confiscating the bikes at least once a day.”

Kathmandu’s Chief District Officer Kali Prasad Parajuli says discussions are underway about removing the rule.

Meanwhile, the division’s chief Janak Bhattarai says no biker has been booked on the charge of flouting the odd-even rule recently.