(Bimal Bahadur Bista)

The Metropolitan Traffic Police Division, Kathmandu has determined the traffic routes and parking locations in view of huge number of people visiting the Pashupatinath area on the occasion of Maha Shivaratri today. To ease the flow of people and devotees visiting the Pashupati Temple, vehicles heading to Gaushala will be diverted from Chabahil, Old Baneshwor, Gyaneshwor, Maitidevi mode, Ratopul, Setopul, Kalopul, Sifalchaur, Kutubahal, Gaurighat and Tilganga, according to the Division. Freight vehicles will be diverted from Tinkune, Jorpati, Chuchchepati, Sinamangal Bridge and Basundhara. Similarly, different routes have been determined for buses, microbuses, and tempos. As per the route designation, a vehicle should go through Ratnapark-Bhadrakali-Singha Durbar-Maitighar-New Baneshwor-Tinkune-Sinamangal, and make a return through the same route. Similarly, a vehicle should pass through Ratnapark-Bhadrakali-Bhotahiti-Jamal-Kesharmahal-Khanibibhag-Lajimpat-Narayan Gopal Chowk-Chabahil-Bauddha-Jorpati-Sankhu and vice versa. A vehicle operating along Kapan-Kalopul should take Khanibibhang-Lajimpat-Maharajgunj route, said Senior Superintendent of Police Rajendra Bhatta. Similarly, a microbus and a tempo running along Maitidevi to Old Baneshwor-Chabahil and Bauddha should take route of Mahendra Salik-Krishna Pauroti-Jaya Nepal-Naksal-Bhagawatibahal-Sanogaucharan-Sifal hill-Chabahil Ganeshsthan and Chabahil-Jorpati, he said. A microbus and a tempo operating along Jorpati-Bauddha should go through Chabahil-Narayan Gopal Chowk to Lajimpat-Keshar Mahal-Jamal-Ghanta Ghar and finally Sundhara. A vehicle running along Jorpati to Mahargunj via Bauddha-Chabahil should take the route of Bhrikuti Chowk to Gopi Krishna Hall and Sukedhara to Maharajgunj. A freight vehicle heading to Bauddha or Sukedhara through Koteshwor, Tinkune and Gaushala should take Kotesheor to Bauddha route via Satdobato-Kalanki-Maharajgunj. Similarly, a freight vehicle heading to Bauddha, Jorpati through Koteshwor or Gatthaghar should take Jadibuti-Pepsikola and Gothatar route. Parking locations have been managed at different five areas, the space before the Tilganga Eye Hospital, the Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) office at the Dev Park, the police circle, the Traffic Police Department, Gaushala, the Sifal ground and the space across Guheshwori. The space before the Tilganga Eye Hospital has been designated for vehicles belonging to pilgrims, devotees and foreign tourists, and the space at the PADT office at the Dev Park and Bhandarkhal for government and police vehicles that have got the pass from the PADT. Moreover, the Sifal ground has been determined for vehicles that have got the pass and those belonging to local devotees. Parking locations have been managed for also the vehicles belonging to various organisations that have run health camps in the area, fire engines, ambulances and trucks supplying drinking water. The PADT will not allow footpath shops in the Pashupati area, and has asked people not to resort to any unruly activities, drink and cause to drink alcohol and take and cause to take intoxicated substances in the Temple premises. It is estimated that around 2 million devotees will worship at the Temple on Maha Shivaratri this year. On the occasion, the government has managed tight security in the Pashupati area. More than 3,000 police in uniform and the same number in civvies have been deployed in and around the area, according to the Metropolitan Police Office, Ranipokhari in Kathmandu. –RSS