Fire Extinguishers to Become Mandatory in Nepal’s Public Transport Vehicles
Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police is preparing to make fire extinguishers mandatory in public passenger vehicles as part of stricter safety and route permit inspections.
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The Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office (KVTPO) is preparing to make fire extinguishers mandatory in public passenger vehicles as part of stronger safety checks.
The traffic police are planning to tighten inspections of public vehicles in coordination with the relevant authorities. The checks will cover vehicle condition, required documents, route permits, driver fitness and safety equipment.
Fire Extinguishers to Be Linked With Safety Checks
KVTPO Chief SSP Suresh Prasad Kafle said preparations are underway to require public vehicles to carry fire extinguishers.
According to Kafle, vehicles can catch fire because of electrical or technical problems, fuel leaks and other issues. Having fire-control equipment inside vehicles would allow drivers or passengers to respond quickly when a fire starts.
Regular Checks Planned
Traffic Police spokesperson Naresh Raj Subedi said authorities will regularly check the condition and usability of fire extinguishers along with other safety requirements.
The inspections will also cover:
Vehicle condition
Driver fitness
Required documents
Route permits
Fire-control equipment
Condition and usability of safety equipment
Action Over Route Permit Violations
Traffic police have also received complaints that some public vehicles are operating without the required documents or outside their permitted routes.
Authorities are therefore preparing to strengthen enforcement of route permit rules while making passenger safety a greater focus of regular vehicle inspections.
The proposed fire-extinguisher requirement is intended to ensure that public vehicles have basic equipment available to control a fire before it spreads.
Published 1 hour ago in Nepal