Western Nepal Bus Entrepreneurs´ Committee and four Gandaki-based transport committees have locked horns accusing each other of breaching past agreements. They have obstructed passenger buses from passing through Ramdi Bazaar, which divides Palpa and Syangja districts. [break]
Passengers coming from Pokhara and Syangja are forced to get off bus at Ramdi. They have to walk past the Ramdi Bridge to board another bus to head for Butwal and Palpa. Passengers coming from Butwal and Palpa, too, have to walk over the bridge to take a bus on the other side.
Transport committees have not exempted even tourists, children, elderly and physically disabled passengers from walking. All of them have to walk almost a kilometer dragging their heavy belongings.
The Western Nepal Bus Entrepreneurs´ Committee (WNBEC) has accused the four transport committees based in Gandaki zone of breaching the past agreement. “We had agreed to let our buses stay 20 minutes more than the current time allowed at the Prithvi Chowk of Pokhara,” Ganesh Basyal, president of WNBEC, said. “But, our buses are not allowed.”
On the other hand, Pushpa Pokharel, secretary of Gandaki Mini Bus Entrepreneurs´ Committee (GMBEC), accused WNBEC of not following 15 days-a-month system as per the agreement. “We had decided to take out our buses every alternative day,” Pokharel said.
For days ago, Syangja Chief District Officer (CDO) Nandi Kishor Tripathi had tried to help both parties reach an agreement but in vain.
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