Transporters demand bus fare hike ahead of festivals

KATHMANDU, SEP 25 -

The National Federation of Nepal Transport Entrepreneurs ( NFNTE ) is pressing the government to raise bus fares before festivals of Dashain and Tihar. NFNTE expect to hike existing fares by 10 percent, before the opening of ticket reservations for Dashain on September 26.

Transport entrepreneurs have already submitted a letter to the Department of Transport Management (DoTM) requesting that it review the current fares. According to NFNTE General Secretary, Dol Nath Khanal, they have held two meetings with the DoTM regarding hike in fares. However, there has been no written agreement between stakeholders.

“Since the festive season is just around the corner, we have asked the department to raise the current fares by at least ten percent,” said Khanal. He claimed bus fares had not been increased since the latest price hike on petroleum products.

DoTM Director Chandra Prasad Phuyal said that a delegation had visited the department to speak about raising fares, however, he said the department would attempt not to raise them. “We have asked the entrepreneurs to talk with the ministry first. We will raise fares if the ministry asks us to do so,” said Phuyal.

Secretary at the Ministry of Physical Planning, Works and Transport Management, Tulsi Prasad Sitaula, said that the entrepreneurs hadn’t officially visited his office. However, he said that the Ministry obligated to hike fares within this month or the next.

“We are compelled to review fares if the price of diesel increases or decreases by Rs 5 or more. Similarly, the fares can also be hiked on an annual basis based on the Annual Increment Report of the Nepal Rastra Bank,” said Sitaula. He said that the entrepreneurs were pressing to raise fares based on the annual increment report.    

However, ministry officials said their focus will be to not raise prices before this Dashain and Tihar. According to them, the price hike will most likely take place after Tihar, similar to last year.

“Naturally, the government will stand against a hike before Dashain. Given that the festive season is their main business season, the entrepreneurs’ priority will be to raise prices before Dashain,” said Sitaula.  

For bus entrepreneurs, Dashain and Tihar are big once-in-a-year opportunities. Due to the high mobility of people, each route sees twice the traffic during Dashain. 

Source: The Kathmandu Post