Passengers complained that commuter vehicles, especially those operating along Gaighat-Katari road section as an alternative route, have been demanding high fares and swindling them. Although the fare for traveling back and forth Gaighat and Katari (78 km) route has been set at Rs 400 by Himali Transportation Entrepreneurs Association, passengers said they are forced to pay more than Rs 750 per person."Many people like me have paid Rs 750 as vehicle fares to travel to our home in Katari," said Sunil Katuwal. "They refused to decrease fares even a bit and threatened to sell the ticket to another person if I was unwilling to pay. I had no choice but to buy it," he added.
Udit Timilsina of Katari, who works in a furniture house in Gaighat also said he paid double the actual amount of fare while returning home. "We are forced to cough up double or even triple of the actual fare amount after banda. They set their own fares and are troubling passengers returning home to celebrate Dashain with their family," he complained.
Treasurer of Himali Transportation Entrepreneurs Association, Bishnu Shrestha, however, said they have no part in hiking vehicles fare. "We have not raised ticket price. If anybody is demanding Rs 750 as fares, it is illegal," he said.
Only one vehicle of the Association is operating through the route of late after banda, informed Shrestha. The banda called by the agitating United Democratic Madhesi Morcha (UDMF) has halted normal operation of vehicles along Gaighat-Katari alternative road section.
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