Cable car fare, which earlier was fixed at Rs 475 for Nepali nationals, has now been hiked to Rs 575. Similarly, locals in the Manakamana area, who were charged Rs 95 will now need to pay Rs 115. Cable car fare for foreigners has been hiked by 33 percent from US $ 15 to US $ 20. [break]
This is the third time the cable car company has hiked passenger fares over the last three years, according to Dinesh Joshi, chairman of Mankamana Area Development Committee (MADC). “Mankamana cable car is going beyond the reach Nepali pilgrims,” he said. “The hike is unfair for Nepali pilgrims. This is also unjustifiable because the company has been making profits every year.”
According to Joshi, nearly one million people, three-fourths of whom are Nepali pilgrims and locals, ride Manakamana cable cars every year. “We would have accepted the fare hike had the company not been making profits,” said Joshi. He also accused the company of not consulting the locals before taking the fare hike decision.
A MADC member said they are holding discussions with the locals to formally protest the fare hike. “We could launch protests if the locals also stand up against the fare hike,” he said. Two years ago, the company was forced to revise its fare hike decision following stiff resistance from the locals.
The company has said that it hiked cable car fares in line with the rate of inflation. However, none of the responsible officers of the company wanted to explain the fare hike decision.
When contacted by Republica, Niraj Shrestha, an accountant at the company, agreed with the locals´ claim that the company made a profit of Rs 80 million last year. In that year, the company´s total transaction totaled around Rs 400 million.
People, especially Hindu pilgrims, throng Mankamana temple with the belief that their wishes get fulfilled after visiting the temple. As there is no motor road to Mankamana temple, people go there by cable cars.
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