Traffic police in the Kathmandu Valley penalized 982 drivers for driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs during a 13-day enforcement drive that coincided with the Dashain festival, according to the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office. The action covered the period from Ghatasthapana, the first day of the festival, to Oct. 22, and 947 of the drivers were booked specifically for consuming alcohol before or while driving. The announcement was reported by Khabarhub, citing the traffic police office.
Festival-Season Enforcement Drive
The enforcement action spanned nearly two weeks, beginning on Ghatasthapana, when the Dashain festival formally begins, and running through Oct. 22. During this window, traffic police deployed across the valley booked drivers found to be driving after consuming alcohol or using drugs, offenses that are punishable under Nepal's traffic rules.
The figures released by the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office break down as follows:
- 982 drivers penalized in total for driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs
- 947 drivers booked specifically for alcohol use
- 13 days, the length of the enforcement period from Ghatasthapana to Oct. 22
The arithmetic of the released figures indicates that the remaining 35 drivers were penalized in connection with drug use, although the traffic police office did not publish a separate breakdown in the reported statement. Taken together, the numbers point to a sustained checking campaign rather than a single-day operation, with personnel screening drivers across the valley's roads throughout the festival period.
Dashain Travel and Road Safety Concerns
Dashain is Nepal's biggest festival, and the stretch beginning with Ghatasthapana is traditionally marked by heavy movement of people as hundreds of thousands leave the Kathmandu Valley for their hometowns and villages, and as celebrations involving feasting and family gatherings continue for days. Festival periods typically see elevated traffic on the valley's roads, along with a rise in social occasions where alcohol is served.
Drunk driving remains one of the most strictly enforced traffic offenses in Nepal, with traffic police routinely conducting breathalyzer checks at night and during periods of heavy celebration. The release of these figures during the Dashain season reflects the emphasis the traffic police place on curbing impaired driving precisely when roads are at their busiest and when the risk of accidents involving alcohol rises.
The timing of the campaign, stretching from the start of the festival through Oct. 22, covers the core of the Dashain holiday period, when both vehicular traffic and festive drinking tend to peak. Authorities did not announce in the reported statement whether the campaign would continue beyond the festival, but the 13-day span suggests a deliberate decision to maintain a visible enforcement presence across the entire holiday window.
Parallel Action in Kaski on Tika Day
Enforcement against traffic violations during the festival was not confined to the capital. Separately, the District Traffic Police Office in Kaski penalized 40 drivers for various traffic violations on the day of Dashain Tika, according to the district office.
Dashain Tika is the most significant day of the festival, when people gather with family members to receive tika and blessings from their elders. Kaski, the district home to the tourist city of Pokhara, sees considerable local travel on this day as people move between relatives' homes for celebrations. The penalizing of 40 drivers in a single day indicates that local traffic police maintained active checking operations even amid the holiday, when enforcement can otherwise be lighter.
The Kaski action covered general traffic violations rather than being limited to impaired driving, based on the statement from the District Traffic Police Office. No further breakdown of the violations was provided in the report.
What the Numbers Signal
The combined figures from the Kathmandu Valley and Kaski underline the scale of traffic enforcement activity during the Dashain holidays. In the valley alone, nearly 1,000 drivers were penalized for impaired driving in under two weeks, with the overwhelming majority of cases involving alcohol.
Key takeaways from the enforcement period:
- The Kathmandu Valley operation ran for 13 days, from Ghatasthapana to Oct. 22
- Alcohol-related offenses accounted for the vast majority of the penalties, at 947 of 982 cases
- In Kaski, 40 drivers were penalized for traffic violations on Dashain Tika day alone
Traffic authorities have consistently identified impaired driving as a leading contributor to road accidents, and festival seasons, with their combination of heavy traffic, late-night travel, and alcohol consumption, are regarded as high-risk periods on Nepal's roads. The figures released by the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office and the District Traffic Police Office in Kaski offer a snapshot of the enforcement effort mounted during this year's celebrations, as reported by Khabarhub.
For travelers and commuters, the message from the enforcement drive is straightforward: traffic police remained on the roads throughout the festival, and drivers found operating vehicles under the influence of alcohol or drugs faced penalties regardless of the holiday season.
