By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, May 20: Although the government had adopted several measures to implement the lockdown and regulate border points, 137,469 people entered the Kathmandu Valley in the 57-day lockdown enforced from March 24.
As of 6:00 a.m. Tuesday morning, 137,468 people came to the Kathmandu Valley by 57,198 vehicles from five major entry points to the Valley. Within the same period, 943 people came to capital on foot, according to a record of Nepal Police Headquarters, Naxal.
Within the same period, 236,600 people left the Kathmandu Valley by 60,434 vehicles. During the period, 18,053 people left the Kathmandu Valley on foot.
The records of Nepal Police showed that on average 2,411 people entered the valley on a daily basis
In the last 24 hours, police recorded entry of 2,481 people from these five points by 1,337 vehicles while three persons came on foot. Similarly, 2,532 people left the valley riding 1,375 vehicles. Eight people left on foot.
Meanwhile, security personnel deputed in five major entry points -- Naghdhunga, Jagati, Muddkhu, Pharping and Sankhu -- have adopted further stricter measures to implement the lockdown and regulate human movement across the borders after the government scrapped all vehicle passes effective from May 17.
The government had invalidated previously issued yellow-coloured vehicle passes and had started issuing blue ones after May 17 to the needy organisations, industries, banks and financial institutions and the development project offices.
Deputy Inspector General (DIG) and spokesperson at the Nepal Police Headquarters Niraj Bahadur Shahi said the police administration across the country had been implementing the lockdown effectively based on every new decision taken by the government.
For effective implementation of the lockdown, police administration down to the local bodies have been seeking support of the local volunteers to control local people in the Kathmandu Valley, he said. The deployment of local volunteers has made it easier to implement the lockdown, the local residents have started abiding by the lockdown and adopted safety measures, he said.
According to Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) and in-charge at Metropolitan Police Circle, Thankot, Ghana Shyam Shrestha, the lockdown violators and the entry and exit trend of people and vehicles have come down sharply after May 17.
In the last three days, only 2,146 vehicles entered the valley from Naghdhunga. Majority of the vehicles were goods carrying vehicles, said Shrestha.
“We have even been keeping lawmakers on hold until they produce their legal vehicle pass issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs to enter the Valley,” he said.