Himal Press 
POKHARA: Transport operators in Gandaki Province have agreed not to charge higher fares during the Dashain-Tihar festive season.
In a meeting chaired by Gandaki Province’s Minister for Physical Infrastructure Development and Transport Management, Prakash Bahadur KC, on Monday, transport operators from the province expressed commitment to maintain regular fares.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, Minister KC said that the meeting took six important decisions to ensure safe travel during the festival.
In the meeting, transport operators expressed commitment not to overcharge passengers, not to exceed the seating capacity and to ensure safe travel practices. Additionally, the meeting agreed to improve coordination among related agencies to streamline transportation management, enforce mandatory ticketing for long-distance travel, respect consumer rights while maintaining business ethics, and ensure effective transport services at Pokhara International Airport.
In response to complaints about taxis overcharging at the airport, the meeting decided that traffic police would be deployed for monitoring, KC said. He also added that the province government would remain active during the festival period to respond to any road obstruction caused by floods and landslides.
Minsiter KC urged passengers to immediately report if transport service providers are charging extra or refusing service due to fare disputes. “Contact traffic police if you face a similar situation,” he added.
Kedar Paudel, coordinator of the Gandaki Province Chapter of the National Federation of Transport Entrepreneurs, requested the province government to address the poor condition of highways and sought support in operating vehicles on routes with low passenger volume.
SP Janak Bahadur Shahi, chief of the Highway Safety and Traffic Management Office in Gandaki, said traffic police would ensure that transport operators follow the mandatory rule of having two drivers for long-distance routes. He also advised transport operators to conduct mandatory mechanical checks of their motor vehicles before embarking on long-distance journeys. Likewise, he urged passengers to report any overcharging issues by dialing 100 or 103.
