They have said all elderly citizens using public transport should be provided seats and transport fare discount.
The Department of Transport Management DoTM had published a public notice on September 27 to implement the legal provision enshrined in the Senior Citizens Act 2006.
The (DoTM) is to enforce the provision from October 18.
“Offering 50 percent transport fare discount to only two senior citizens is not fair. Public vehicles should provide seats and 50 percent discount to all senior citizens using public transport,” said Maha Prasad Parajuli, chairperson of a Senior Citizens Joint Struggle Committee.
“Every public vehicle has reserved seats for women and the disabled. But, the seats are occupied by others. I do not think the government can enforce the provision of reserved seats for elderly citizens,” said Parajuli.
However, Sudarshan Prasad Dhakal, director general of DoTM, said the government can not enforce the provision of transport fare discount to all elderly citizens as a majority of public vehicles are operated by the private sector.
“We cannot enforce the provision of 50 percent discount for all elderly citizens. Even if we take such a decision, the private transport operators would demand subsidies. This is something the government can not afford at the moment,” said Dhakal. He also urged the elderly citizens to call off their strike.
Meanwhile, Dharma Raj Rimal, Bagmati Zonal Coordinator of Nepal Transport Entrepreneurs National Federation, said, “It would not be difficult for us to provide transport fare discount to two elderly citizens per vehicle. But we can not afford to provide discount to all elderly,” he said.
SANGEET SANGROULA
KATHMANDU, Sept 29
Even after the government´s decision to enforce the provision of reserved seats and 50 percent transport fare discount for two elderly citizens in each public vehicle, elderly citizens who have been staging sit-in in front of the Department of Transportation Management (DoTM) at Koteshwar for the last eight months have decided to continue their protest.
They have said all elderly citizens using public transport should be provided seats and transport fare discount.
The Department of Transport Management DoTM had published a public notice on September 27 to implement the legal provision enshrined in the Senior Citizens Act 2006.
The (DoTM) is to enforce the provision from October 18.
“Offering 50 percent transport fare discount to only two senior citizens is not fair. Public vehicles should provide seats and 50 percent discount to all senior citizens using public transport,” said Maha Prasad Parajuli, chairperson of a Senior Citizens Joint Struggle Committee.
“Every public vehicle has reserved seats for women and the disabled. But, the seats are occupied by others. I do not think the government can enforce the provision of reserved seats for elderly citizens,” said Parajuli.
However, Sudarshan Prasad Dhakal, director general of DoTM, said the government can not enforce the provision of transport fare discount to all elderly citizens as a majority of public vehicles are operated by the private sector.
“We cannot enforce the provision of 50 percent discount for all elderly citizens. Even if we take such a decision, the private transport operators would demand subsidies. This is something the government can not afford at the moment,” said Dhakal. He also urged the elderly citizens to call off their strike.
Meanwhile, Dharma Raj Rimal, Bagmati Zonal Coordinator of Nepal Transport Entrepreneurs National Federation, said, “It would not be difficult for us to provide transport fare discount to two elderly citizens per vehicle. But we can not afford to provide discount to all elderly,” he said.
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