Authorities revoke odd even rules for vehicles

District administration offices of Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur on Sunday revoked the odd-even rule for private vehicles as well. Earlier, the three DAOs had revoked the odd even rule (vehicles with odd number plates on odd dates and even numbers on even dates) for public vehicles only. Ban on political rallies and mass meetings will, however, continue till further notice.

The administration took this decision after cases of COVID infection dropped in the past week. All public institutions can deliver services as usual. The revoking of the odd even rule has been effective from Monday.

Valley DAOs also decided to reopen education institutions, including schools and colleges, from February 13 by following health safety protocols. Educational institutions can also conduct exams from February 13 by maintaining health safety protocols. In the case of students below the age of 12, the administration ordered schools to reopen classes on the basis of shift system.

Shopping malls and other businesses shall have to ensure that there are no more than 50 people at a time and those who visit such places should produce COVID immunisation certificates. Party venues are allowed to admit up to 100 fully-vaccinated people at a time; cinema halls, swimming pools, gyms, and stadiums can carry out their businesses from February 13 by following health safety protocols.

Restaurants can open, but they will have to serve only fully-vaccinated customers; religious places shall have to ensure that there are no more than 50 worshippers at a time.

Earlier in the day, Private and Boarding Schools Organisation Nepal and Nepal Guardians’ Federation had expressed confidence that the government would allow schools to resume physical classes from February 13 across the country.

Schools across the country were forced to adopt distance learning system yet again on January 10 owing to rising cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 across the country.

Chair of Nepal Guardian’s Federation Suprabhat Ghimire said, “Since the government has already started inoculating children in the age group 12-18 years, it should allow students to attend physical classes as soon as possible.”