According to Technical Director at the Department of Transportation Management (DoTM) Sharad Adhikary, the office has sent the proposal to the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport last week. As the rate has been increased on the basis of thorough scientific calculation and ministry would definitely endorse it. “It was long overdue. In lack of fare revision, irregularities were rife in the past,” he said. [break]
Agrees Lama. In fact, he was not bothered at all about the rate fixed by the government until the last few months even though it was not revised for the last 5 years. The lack of monitoring would allow him to charge his passengers what he pleased, helping him earn Rs 15000 or more per month.
“However, taxi drivers were forced to think of a better job option after the traffic started tightening the noose around us through regular monitoring. It is not possible for us to follow the prescribed fares unless they are revised,” said Lama. “We had actually demanded for Rs 50 per kilometer. But something is better than nothing,” he smiled.
Responding to the public frustration against exorbitant taxi fares in the Valley, three concerned government authorities -- the Transportation Department, the Metropolitan Traffic Police and the National Standards and Metrology Bureau had joined hands to address the problem from January first week. Meter tampering, breaking meter shield, having no meter box and many other faults were punished and the system really showed improvement in rather short period.
Adhikari informed that a three-member committee formed under his coordination had carried out the survey taking into account inflation, wages and fuel prices. He estimates that there are around 8000 taxis in the Valley and 15,000 across the country.
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