KATHMANDU, Nov 18: Transport entrepreneurs are making preparations to hike public transportation fare.
While entrepreneurs have already announced to jack up bus fare along Prithvi Highway by 30 percent from next week, Federation of Nepalese National Transport Entrepreneurs (FNNTE) is mulling over raising public transportation fare in other routes across the country.
The entrepreneurs, who are yet to implement the government decision to reduce transportation fare, are preparing to hike public transportation fare, citing fuel shortage.
The government on September 9 had reduced public transportation fare by 2.22 percent. The decision, however, has not been implemented effectively. Moreover, transport entrepreneurs are already charging arbitrary fares, citing shortage of fuel.
Organizing a press conference in Pokhara on Sunday, officials of Prithvi Highway Bus Entrepreneurs Committee (PHBEC) threatened to raise fare by 30 percent from next week if the government failed to arrange sufficient diesel for them. “We cannot provide service in existing fare structure as we have been compelled to buy diesel from random suppliers at much higher price,” Ain Kumar Shahi, president of the committee, said.
Saroj Sitaula, spokesperson of FNTTE, said increment in transportation fare is necessary as transport entrepreneurs have been purchasing diesel at much higher price. “We are paying as much as Rs 300 for a liter of diesel,” Sitaula said, adding, “We cannot continue to provide service if the government fails to arrange sufficient diesel.”
Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has been retailing diesel at Rs 84 per liter.
Madhav Timalsina, president of Consumer Rights Investigation Forum, said transport entrepreneurs were trying to take benefit from the present situation. “The government has failed to control anomalies in the market. It should not allow entrepreneurs to hike public transportation fare,” he added.
Meanwhile, officials of Department of Transport Management (DoTM) said transport entrepreneurs cannot increase fare unilaterally. “Public transportation fare has to be determined through Scientific Fare Determination Mechanism,” an official of DoTM said. “We will take needful action if anyone is found increasing transportation fare arbitrarily,” he added
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