KATHMANDU: Five people lost their lives in road accidents across the Kathmandu Valley during the five-day Tihar festival, with authorities recording 78 accidents between November 7 and 11.
According to the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office, the accidents occurred during the festive period, which concluded with Bhai Tika on November 11.
Traffic police also took action against 595 people for driving under the influence of alcohol and 18 others for driving under the influence of drugs during the same period.
SP Naresh Raj Subedi, spokesperson for the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office, said a total of 2,211 drivers were penalised for various traffic violations, including drunk driving, speeding and reckless driving.
He said traffic police had intensified monitoring, surveillance and enforcement throughout the Valley during the festival. Both personnel and technology were mobilised to ensure smoother traffic management and reduce road accidents.
As part of efforts to strengthen technology-based enforcement, the office has also introduced a faceless traffic management system along the Thapathali–Baneshwor road section.
Subedi said the growing number of vehicles and road accidents had made it increasingly challenging to manage traffic solely through human resources.
He added that the development of technological infrastructure had therefore become a priority for improving traffic monitoring, enforcement and overall road safety.
