KATHMANDU, May 11: Traffic police officers stationed on the roads, continuously blowing whistles to manage moving vehicles regardless of dust, heat, rain, or pollution, are often seen and heard in frequent disputes with drivers. Complaints that traffic police issue fines unnecessarily are also common. However, less attention is given to the actual workload carried by traffic police.
According to the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office (KVTPO), there are currently 2,018,434 registered vehicles in the Valley, while the number of traffic police personnel stands at only 1,589. This means that, on average, one traffic police officer is responsible for managing around 1,270 vehicles on the road.
In the Kathmandu Valley, where the floating population is estimated at around five million, this limited force is responsible not only for traffic management but also for accident reduction, enforcement of traffic rules, control of drunk driving, and even tracking stolen or missing vehicles.
The KVTPO states that officers are required to work 10 to 12 hours daily. There are 77 traffic units in the Valley, meaning each unit is responsible for managing an average of 26,213 vehicles.
Traffic police are deployed at 28 locations in the Valley on a 24-hour basis. Under regular duty, they are stationed at 326 locations from morning until 8 PM. In addition, mobile patrols are conducted at 20 locations, special checks at 56 locations, and nighttime checks at 56 locations, according to Senior Superintendent of Police Navaraj Adhikari of the KVTPO.
Adhikari said that traffic management has become increasingly challenging due to the growing number of vehicles. “Due to the high volume of traffic during peak hours, professional deployment of traffic police has been increased on the roads,” he said. “Even in difficult situations, we are trying to ensure smooth traffic flow.”
Traffic congestion is especially high at major intersections during morning and evening peak hours. The pressure increases during office hours, school and college opening and closing times, and days following public holidays. According to officials, managing roads under such conditions with limited manpower puts additional pressure on traffic police.
Traffic officers are constantly exposed to dust, smoke, and pollution while on duty. Long hours standing on the road also affect their health, officials said. During summer, they work under intense heat, while during the monsoon, they remain on duty in continuous rainfall. Their responsibilities also include managing accidents, clearing traffic jams, facilitating emergency vehicles, handling VIP movements, and managing traffic during protests, rallies, and public events.
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Traffic police also face dissatisfaction from drivers and passengers while enforcing discipline. In some cases, they have to deal with disputes, verbal abuse, and non-compliance.
Recovery of 65 stolen motorcycles
Beyond traffic management, traffic police are also involved in recovering lost and stolen vehicles. On Sunday, 65 motorcycles stolen from different locations in the Kathmandu Valley were returned to their respective owners.
The KVTPO handed over the recovered motorcycles during a formal program. According to SSP Adhikari, the motorcycles were found through a special search operation conducted across various locations.
He said vehicle owners and drivers should also remain cautious to reduce theft. Installing additional locking systems in vehicles could help reduce such incidents, he added. The traffic police have been urging the public to immediately report missing vehicles and adopt safety precautions.
Strict action against drunk driving and rule violations
The KVTPO Office has recently intensified action against drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
The office has also recommended the suspension of driving licenses of 31 drivers who repeatedly violated traffic rules more than five times. According to officials, these drivers were involved in repeated offenses under the same or different violations.
“Those drivers who have been penalized more than five times for the same offense have been recommended for license suspension,” said SSP Adhikari. “Cases of drunk driving, drugged driving, and reckless driving are still being observed.”
Traffic police have strengthened drunk driving checks, especially at night, to reduce road accidents. Authorities say stricter enforcement is necessary as violations directly contribute to increasing accident rates.
‘Faceless traffic management’
The Valley has begun implementing a technology-based traffic management system known as “faceless traffic management.”
Under this system, traffic signals are operated regularly, CCTV surveillance has been expanded, and enforcement against violators is being carried out through technological means rather than direct physical interaction.
According to officials, a pilot project has been launched at Thapathali Chowk. Traffic police presence has been reduced there, and monitoring is now largely conducted via CCTV.
“We have already reduced the number of traffic police at Thapathali Chowk. Only a few remain on site,” said SSP Adhikari. “Monitoring and enforcement are now being carried out through CCTV.”
Authorities expect that this system will reduce direct conflict between traffic police and drivers while making enforcement more effective.
Although vehicle numbers are rapidly increasing in the Valley, road expansion, parking management, and improvements in public transportation have not kept pace. Narrow roads, unmanaged parking, encroachment of sidewalks, and disorderly passenger pick-up and drop-off by public transport have further worsened congestion.
Traffic police also emphasize that citizens have an important role in ensuring effective traffic management. Sudden lane changes, signal violations, failure to wear helmets and seatbelts, using mobile phones while driving, and drunk driving continue to cause accidents.
Officials stress that maintaining road discipline requires responsibility from drivers, passengers, and pedestrians alike.
“Traffic police responsibilities are not limited to stopping vehicles and checking documents. We are also engaged in managing growing traffic, reducing accidents, recovering stolen vehicles, implementing technology-based systems, and ensuring road discipline,” SSP Adhikari said. “Public cooperation is equally important in traffic management.”
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