175 drivers arrested for ride-sharing drive

Kathmandu. KATHMANDU: As many as 175 drivers for their involvement in ride-sharing service have been taken into action as part of a special checking campaign launched by the Traffic Police in Kathmandu Valley to curb increasing traffic pressure, unsystematic driving and rule violations.

According to the Kathmandu Traffic Police Office, the drivers were found violating the existing laws in course of monitoring in different busy areas of the valley.

Spokesperson of the Kathmandu Traffic Police Office and Superintendent of Police (SP) Naresh Raj Subedi said that the special checking campaign has been launched to control the trend of unauthorized service, transporting passengers without meeting the criteria and ignoring traffic rules.

“We have conducted special checking campaigns at different places of the Kathmandu Valley. A total of 175 drivers were taken into action during the drive. ”

According to him, most of the drivers were operating offline without the permission of the ‘online platform’.

Likewise, activities like pick-and-drop at haphazard pick-and-drop of passengers, poor technical condition of vehicles, lack of required documents and violation of traffic rules were also observed, Subedi said.

Chief of the Kathmandu Traffic Police Office and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Nawaraj Adhikari said that in order to operate the ride-sharing service, it is mandatory to take permission from the concerned body, regular maintenance of the vehicle, carry the required documents and follow the set rules.

“The action has been initiated after many drivers were found to be flouting these basic standards,” he said. ”

Traffic police chief Adhikari said that the traffic has been tightened especially at busy intersections, hospital areas, schools and main roads due to haphazard movement of passengers, causing disruption in the vehicular movement and increasing the risk of accidents.

The Chief Officer made it clear that such monitoring campaign will be made more effective in the coming days as well and action will be taken against anyone violating the rules. He also urged the public to use only services that are safe and legal.

The Traffic Police has given continuity to this campaign and aims to make the traffic management more systematic, safe and technology-friendly. Ride-sharing companies have also been urged to strictly monitor their drivers and ensure compliance with the rules. The campaign is expected to contribute to maintaining traffic discipline and strengthening passenger safety in Kathmandu Valley.