Transporters happy with auto-adjustment of fares

By A Staff Reporter Kathmandu, May 19: Transport operators have expressed happiness over the implementation of automatic fare adjustment system on the basis of petroleum price. 

Federal and provincial transport ministries have assured to adjust fare of public transport based on the increment or decrement of petroleum price. If the petroleum price increases or decreases by 5 per cent, the fare is automatically revised by the authorities.

The adjustment system was initiated around two months ago when the petroleum price had increased by 32.69 per cent and the transport operators were objecting to the insufficient fares. 

On March 31, the Department of Transport Management (DoTM) had increased the fare for public buses by 10 per cent and heavy vehicles plying in Terai and Hill by 15 per cent and 13 per cent respectively.

Around two weeks later, Bagmati Province government had also revised the fare of public transport operating within the province and informed that the fare would be adjusted if the petroleum price increased or decreased by five per cent in the future.

Issuing a notice on Tuesday, the DoTM informed that the fare of public transport operating in more than one province have been revised with an increase in petroleum price.

For passenger vehicles, the fare has been increased by 3.5 per cent while the fare for heavy vehicles operating in Terai and Hill regions has been increased by 5.1 per cent and 4.6 per cent respectively. The new fare has been implemented from Wednesday.

From Sunday, the Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) had adjusted petroleum price by increasing the rate of petrol, diesel and kerosene by Rs. 10 per litre each. The price of diesel is Rs. 153 per litre now.

“The self-adjustment system has allowed the DoTM to revise the fare without discussion and permission from the ministry. We also don’t need to pressurise the authorities to revise the fare when petroleum price increased.

We also accept the decrease of fare when petroleum price declines,” said Saroj Sitoula, general secretary at the Federation of Nepal National Transport Entrepreneurs.

Sitoula also informed that a system has been established and it has ended the unwanted dispute between transport operators and government. 

Meanwhile, the DoTM has also requested the transport operators to paste new fare rates in their vehicles making it visible for the passengers. If any vehicle demands more fare, the DoTM has demanded the public to file a complaint at the Nepal Police (100), traffic police (103), Hello Sarkar (1100) or the nearby transport department. 

The DoTM and provincial government will also be revising the fare of public transport annually on the basis of other factors like automobile parts, inflation and market price of daily goods. 

“We expect that the annual revision will reflect our recommendations. We will follow the fare structure strictly if it is revised properly,” said Sitoula.