19 Aug ___________________________ Vehicles defy blockade call PR KATHMANDU, Aug 18 - Defying a Kathmandu Valley blockade call made by the Maoists, hundreds of vehicles continued their journey into and out of the capital all day Wednesday. Nevertheless, there were several others who didnýt want to take risks and remained off the road fearing Maoist attacks. In the capital, many people changed their travel plans, while others crowded the marketplaces for stockpiling essential commodities ý fearing the indefinite blockade. By 6 pm on Wednesday, altogether 1,231 vehicles had entered the Kathmandu Valley from the three main entry points ýThankot, Sanga and Balaju ý and 1,092 had left the Valley from the same points, according to figures made available by the Directorate of Public Relations at the Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) headquarters. Among them, 139 vehicles entered and 235 left from Thankot (Tribhuvan, Prithvi and East-West highways), 971 entered and 732 left from Sanga (Araniko and Jiri highways) and 121 entered and 125 left from Balaju (Trishuli and Pasang Lhamu highways). Security has been beefed up along all the highways linking the capital with other parts of the country, and to foil possible rebel attacks, special teams of commandoes has been mobilized in strategic areas, according to security officials. ýWe are escorting vehicles, and our boys are manning all the highways. So thereýs no need to fear,ý said Brig Gen Rajendra Thapa, the RNA spokesperson. ýWe call on all transport entrepreneurs to operate their vehicles. We also request the general public to defy this blockade call. We are here to provide you security,ý he added. Gopendra Bahadur Pande, spokesperson at the Home Ministry, said no untoward incident had been reported so far. He added that the security units, including the civilian and the armed police forces, have been placed on high alert, and escorts are available at all points for vehicles plying on the roads. ----------------- HM