Banking News – The Karnali Province Highway Safety and Traffic Management Office in Surkhet collected Rs. 34.1 million in revenue from traffic enforcement during the fiscal year 2025/26 (2082/83 BS).

Speaking at a press conference in Birendranagar on Wednesday, Superintendent of Police (SP) Mukunda Prasad Rijal, Chief of the office, said that 38,885 vehicles were penalized for violating traffic regulations during the fiscal year.

In the previous fiscal year (2081/82 BS), authorities had taken action against 49,964 vehicles, generating Rs. 36.743 million in revenue. According to SP Rijal, the decline in both the number of traffic violations and revenue collection reflects improved compliance with traffic rules.

“Our objective is not to collect revenue but to encourage compliance with traffic regulations and reduce road accidents,” Rijal said.

Compared to the previous fiscal year, the number of traffic enforcement actions declined by 23 percent, while revenue collection fell by 20 percent.

According to the traffic office, an average of 101 vehicles are registered daily in Karnali Province. The province also records a 3.27 percent traffic accident rate. Data from all districts show that Surkhet recorded the highest number of road accidents with 690 cases, while Mugu reported the lowest with 17 cases.

Karnali Province has a total road network of 9,687 kilometers, including 1,384 kilometers of blacktopped roads, 1,194 kilometers of gravel roads, and 7,108 kilometers of earthen roads.

With a population of approximately 1.69 million, the province currently has 215 traffic police personnel, resulting in a ratio of 78.83 traffic police officers per population unit, while each officer is responsible for monitoring nearly 45 kilometers of roadway, SP Rijal said.

He added that 62 percent of road accidents in Karnali involve two-wheelers, particularly among riders aged 26 to 40, with speeding identified as the leading cause. Most accidents occur between 12:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.

During the fiscal year, the office also conducted 8,278 traffic awareness programs, benefiting 569,206 people across Karnali Province as part of its road safety and public awareness campaign.