Kathmandu, Oct. 14 -- As Dashain approaches, more people are leaving Kathmandu Valley to celebrate the festival at home, adding to traffic congestion at key departure points and along highways leading out of the Capital city.

New Bus Park, Kalanki, Balkhu, Koteshwar and Chabahil have seen a surge in departing passengers since Ghatasthapana, the first day of the festival. The Kalanki-Nagdhunga section has been particularly congested, with large numbers of passengers boarding overnight buses bound for destinations across the country.

Pankaj Malla, general manager of Lotse Multipurpose, which operates New Bus Park in Gongabu, said passengers were leaving without major problems at the bus park and that there had been no complaints about tic...