Citing significant drop in price of fuel, Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport (MoPIT) had reduced public transport fare by 2.22 percent in long routes and by Re 1 in local routes from Friday. The government had even fixed minimum fare for public transport at Rs 13.But transport entrepreneurs continue the charge the old fare, taking advantage of the government's lax monitoring mechanism.
Reeta Subedi of Jorpati had to pay Rs 15 for a ride to Chabahil which should have cost her Rs 13 only. "Helpers at public vehicles are rude. They say they are yet to get new rates from their associations," she added.
Niyesh Badal was forced to pay Rs 19 for a trip from Chabahil to Thapathali which is just over five kilometers. "Helpers of public vehicles charge arbitrarily. Some say they don't have change, others say they have not received new fares from their respective associations," he added.
As per the new fare structure, commuters have to pay Rs 13 for distance up to 4 kilometers. Similarly, they have to pay Rs 15 for distance up to 5 km, Rs 16 for up to 6 km, Rs 17 for up to 8 km and Rs 19 for up to 10 km. Similarly, fares for distance up to 13 km, 16 km and above 19 km have been fixed at Rs 21, Rs 23 and Rs 25, respectively.
Meanwhile, consumer right activists have criticized the nominal drop in public transport fare. They allege that the government made nominal adjustment due to pressure from transport entrepreneurs. "There is no point in adjusting public transport fare if regulatory bodies do not have the capability to implement it," Prem Lal Maharjan, president of National Consumers Forum (NCF), said.
However, officials of Department of Transport Management (DoTM), said they have expedited market inspection to ensure that new fares are implemented. Stating that separate inspection team has been formed to oversee implementation of transport fare, they said the government will take action against transport entrepreneurs if they are found overcharging passengers.
Officials of Federation of Nepalese National Transport Entrepreneurs said they were also planning to deploy separate monitoring teams to ensure that the new transport fare is implemented. "We have also heard that some entrepreneurs have not implemented the new fare," Dolnath Khanal, senior vice president of the federation, told Republica. "We have already forwarded the revised fare rates to all the associations."
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