March 6: Transport entrepreneurs have demanded a hike in fares of public transport, citing the rise in fuel prices.

The government had increased the fare of passenger vehicles by 28 percent, freight charge on hill roads by 20 percent and freight charge on Terai roads by 26 percent last year.

Ever since announcing the hike in transportation fare, the government has repeatedly increased the prices of fuel with the price of diesel going up by Rs 28 per liter and petrol by Rs 38 per liter during this period. With the rise in fuel prices, transport entrepreneurs have been demanding an increase in fares for public transport.

Transport entrepreneurs have been demanding an increase in fares by knocking on the doors of various authorities saying that the fares of vehicles have not increased even though the price of fuel has gone up several times since the increase in fares in June. Representatives of the Central Federation of Public Transport Nepal met with Director General of the Department of Transport Management Namaraj Ghimire on Friday demanding an increase in fares. The federation is scheduled to submit a memorandum to Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Renu Kumari Yadav on Sunday (March 6).

President of the Federation, Bharat Nepal said that they have demanded an increase in the fare of vehicles in proportion to the increase in fuel prices. According to him, the fare adjusted earlier in June has not yet been implemented in other provinces except Bagmati and Gandaki provinces.

If the fare is increased, general public will suffer more

If the current fare is increased, the ordinary citizens who have to travel daily by vehicles will be hit the hardest. Concerned authorities say that the trend of increasing the price of fuel by the government and the demand of transport entrepreneurs to increase the fares should be halted. Stakeholders suggest that if the government reduces the tax on petroleum products, fuel can be made available at reasonable rates.

“The price of fuel has gone up time and time again and the fare has gone up as well. But it is not appropriate to increase the fare furthermore as the income of the general public has not gone up,” said Madhav Timilsina, chairman of the Consumer Rights Forum. He said that the commuters are facing problems as the government is not showing any responsibility towards the rights of the people. He expressed his opinion that both the government and the business community should take decisions while being considerate about the purchasing ability of the people.