Kathmandu under high risk of infection, vehicles without pass denied entry

 

Kathmandu: Coronavirus cases have been rising rapidly after the government lifted lockdown two weeks ago.

The government had announced the end of lockdown on July 21. Since then, many people returned to the Kathmandu valley. This has increased the risk of Covid-19 transmission in the capital.

Security has been tightened at the entry points of the valley to bar people from outside districts to enter the capital.

Currently, vehicles without passes are completely banned from entering the valley through major entry points including Sanga. According to Hum Kala Pandey, chief district officer of Bhaktapur, there isn’t any better option  than tightening the border. The police have been sending back all the vehicles without passes.

Following the surge in coronavirus cases among people coming from outside the valley, the government has started collecting swab samples at the border check points.

Home Ministry has directed concerned authorities to conduct at least 3,000 tests per day.  According to CDO Pandey, around 200 people who walk without wearing masks are fined every day.

Until a few days ago, passengers were allowed to travel to the entry points in one vehicle and had to cross the check points by foot to enter the. The passenger then used to get into another vehicles. But recently, the police have restricted this activity as well. The police have also prohibited vehicular movement from 9 pm to 5 pm. However, emergency vehicles are allowed during to operate, said Janak Raj Dahal, chief district officer of Kathmandu.

Similarly, the government has implemented odd and even number system for operating vehicles in districts with more than more than 200 cases of coronavirus. Check points have been set up at places in those districts. According to the Metropolitan Traffic Police Division, any vehicle violating the rule will be impounded.

The Metropolitan Traffic Police Division has mobilized groups of police in various parts of the three districts within the valley. There are 22 checking posts in Kathmandu and 12 each in Bhaktapur and Lalitpur. Special squads of police have been mobilized in 152 places in the valley for regular patrolling.