Working along with Pokhara Taxi Entrepreneurs Committee (PTEC), DAO has announced action against taxi operators found without fare meters after March 19. [break]
Chief District Officer of Kaski (CDO) Yadab Prasad Koirala said,"This rule has been enforced to ease the hassles faced by locals over taxi fares.”
"Taxi drivers who try to cheat will be punished," he added.
Passengers being hoodwinked by taxi drivers at this tourist resort is common. Taxies have been excacting fares without using meters and passengers are left with no choice but to the take the taxi at the head of the cue," said Harish Joshi, who was in Pokhara for a few days.
"Unsatisfied with the fare demanded by a taxi driver, I tried to take another one but it seemed that was not possible here. You have to take the taxi in the queue; this is the rule set by the syndicate that runs the taxis here," said Joshi.
According to chief of PTEC, Gandi Raj Giri, many taxi drivers have started installing meters in their vehicles.
Around 4,500 taxies have been registered at Gandaki Zone Transportation Office and of these, 2,500 are operating in Pokhara.
"Nearly 900 taxies have already installed meters and the rests are in the process of doing so," said Giri.
However, Giri added that taxi fares have been set in accordance with the price of petrol. A taxi starts with an initial charge of Rs 10, and the charge will be added at the rate of Rs 6 and 40 paisa per every 200 meters travelled.
"We have complied with the official rate but this will change according to fluctuation in the petrol price," said Giri.
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