By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, July 4: With resumption of public transportation, including domestic flights, and the ensuing increased vehicular movement in the Kathmandu Valley, the Metropolitan Traffic Police Division has started keeping strict surveillance over overcharging transport operators.
After a long hiatus of nearly two months, public buses, taxis and others have started plying the roads. However, many passengers have complained that they have been overcharged by the transport operators. As per the division, migrant workers returning from abroad or the ones coming in or leaving the Valley are being forced to pay exorbitant fares.
In a bid to reduce such incidents, the division has deployed special operation teams to keep an eye on bus stations and ticket counters. The teams also interact with passengers directly to find if they have been overcharged.
On Thursday, the division arrested eight individuals for charging exorbitant fares. People from ticket counters alongside drivers of public as well as private vehicle have been taken under custody charging them with the same offense.
Traffic police officers informed that even private vehicles were found transporting passengers. General Public have been asked to not travel in private vehicles posing as taxis.
Driver of a Mahindra Scorpio (Baa 17 Cha 5001) Rajiv Hingju, 46, was arrested for operating his private vehicle as a taxi, which is against the rule. Hingju was arrested from Balkumari, Lalitpur.
Similarly, a Bolero jeep (State 1-01-001 Ja 3492) driver identified as 38-year-old Punya Prasad Giri, a private Scorpio (Baa 20 Cha 242) driver Santa Bahadur Kumal, 38 and another Bolero jeep (Me 1 Ja 2993) driver Khem Bahadur Panchkoti, 38, were arrested from Koteshwor for overcharging passengers.
Likewise, 28-year-old Sanjay Khadka, an employee in the ticket counter for Saptakoshi Hiace, was arrested for unfair pricing.
Since the pandemic-related restriction orders took effect, the division has arrested 69 individuals for overcharging passengers.
In a statement released by the division on Thursday regarding the arrests, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Janak Bhattarai said, “We are regularly monitoring public transports. We are also watching private vehicles to see if they are carrying passengers.”