Kathmandu to introduce luggage tag system on long-distance public buses

Kathmandu-A luggage tag system will now be implemented on long-distance public buses departing from the Kathmandu Valley. The new system aims to prevent passengers’ belongings from being lost or exchanged and to make public transportation more organized and secure.

A formal agreement regarding the implementation of the system was signed yesterday between the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office and the National Federation of Transport Entrepreneurs.According to the agreement, special luggage tags will be mandatory for passengers traveling on long-distance public buses starting from Jestha 15. Under the new arrangement, luggage will only be handed over at the destination after matching the tag number given to the passenger with the tag attached to the baggage stored on the bus.Authorities believe the system will play an important role in ensuring the safety of passengers’ belongings. Senior Superintendent of Police Navaraj Adhikari, chief of the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office, said the system was necessary to control the growing incidents of luggage theft, lost bags, and illegal activities in public transportation.Saroj Sitoula, President of the National Federation of Transport Entrepreneurs, said that a modern management system similar to those used in air travel is being introduced into public bus services.

Transport operators noted that complaints about lost luggage are especially common during festivals, crowded travel periods, and overnight journeys. Security agencies have also expressed concerns that public vehicles have sometimes been misused for theft and illegal transportation of goods.Officials expect the new system to significantly reduce such activities.Under the new arrangement, bus counters will attach coded or numbered tags to passengers’ luggage. Passengers will receive matching tag numbers, and luggage will only be released after verification at the destination.