Stating that the government failed to provide them fuel at fair rates, Yogendra Bahadur KC, general secretary of Prithivi Highway Bus Entrepreneurs Association, confirmed that they have recently hiked the fares on long-distance routes by 30 percent.
“We are forced to procure diesel in the black market by paying thrice the actual price,” said KC. “So we have already implemented the new fare. It was our compulsion because we did not intend to cause discomfort to the public, which is already suffering due to the blockade,” he added.
According to him, other bus operators are also planning to increase the fare rates. “Even short-route buses operating within Pokhara Bazar will hike the fare within a few days,” he claimed.
KC complained that the government has shown reluctance to provide them fuel at fair rates although they have reduced the number of buses plying the route. “Even when we reduced the number of buses on the road to 200 from 340, the government has not been providing us fuel,” he said, adding that they will charge the old fare rates if the local administration provides them needed fuel.
Chief District Officer (CDO) of Kaski, Krishna Bahadur Raut, said stern action will be taken against those found involved in hiking fares. “We are making preparations to monitor the transport fare situation in coordination with the traffic police,” said Raut. “We will arrest those charging higher fares and charge them in the court. The court will then take action in accordance with the law,” he added.
CDO Raut said it is illegal for the transport operators to hike the fare unilaterally. “There is different department for reviewing transport rates, so it is illegal if some transporters have hiked fares without permission from the relevant authority,” he added.
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