By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Feb. 21: The Bagmati Province Ministry of Labour, Employment and Transport had declared to implement new fares for taxis operating within the province, including the Kathmandu Valley, from January 15.
However, it has not been implemented yet while the taxi operators have not accepted it.
“Operating a taxi is turning futile,” said Arjun Prasad Gautam, chairman of Nepal Meter Taxi Association.

Despite the Bagmati government revising the taxi fare after almost a decade, it has neither been able to implement it until more than a month of declared time nor has the new fare been acknowledged by the taxi drivers. 
When The Rising Nepal reached out to taxi drivers during the second week of January after the new fare was declared by the Bagmati government, they urged the concerned authorities to “compare the new taxi fare to the soaring market prices and living expenses to find the answer to their situation.”

“There has been no notice stating that we can have our meters set with the new fare because it is done by a government authority. It is not sufficient but at least it is more reasonable than the decade-old fare,” said Rajan Shahi, who was waiting for passengers at New Road on Sunday.

The posts in social media by Metropolitan Traffic Police Division shows that around two dozen taxis are penalised daily for charging more to the passengers.
As per the Bagmati government, Rs. 60 has been set as a flag-down rate for the first kilometre after which Rs. 9.80 will be charged on every 200 metres.

“It is even lower than the fare set by Gandaki Province where fewer taxis operate compared to the Kathmandu Valley,” said Gautam.
As per a notice published under the Gandaki Province Gazette on February 10, Rs. 80 has been fixed as a flag-down rate for the first 200 metres with Rs. 10 added for every 200 metres during a ride upto 15km. Rs. 37.5 per kilometre will be charged for a ride more than 15km.

“The new fare was not acceptable then. While a month has passed without the fare being implemented yet, the petrol price has increased rapidly,” said Gautam.
He added that the taxi operators, who were not happy with the new fare rate are further infuriated with the delay in implementing that.
“The government didn’t revise the fare properly as it lacked proper scientific analysis of the price hike in several basic goods. From not revising the fare for a decade, the government failed to bring forth a justifiable rate,” said Gautam.

Meanwhile, Gandaki Province authorities informed that the new fare set in the province was accepted by all the stakeholders.
“We conducted a study for three months to revise the transport fare. We boarded taxis with experts and learned about the investments required to operate the vehicle. We then declared a new fare by consulting with stakeholders,” said Tikaram Paudel, spokesperson for Gandaki Province Ministry of Physical Infrastructure, Urban Development and Transport Management.

Paudel, who is also an under-secretary at the ministry, informed that both passengers and taxi drivers shared good response to the new fare when the ministry called an all-party meeting.
While the Bagmati Province has failed to set an acceptable fare, representatives of the taxi drivers stated that they have requested the ministry to revise the new fare and set a justifiable rate.
“We have requested in both verbal and writing to the province ministry requesting a revision of the new fare. We expect that our voices will be heard or else we will be bound to take the matter to the streets,” said Gautam.

Meanwhile, officials at the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Transport of Bagmati Province argued that they were consulting whether to revise the fare or not and they had already sent a letter to the concerned authority directing them to implement the new fare.

“The new fare was set after continuous pressure from taxi operators but was decided scientifically after conducting proper study. The petrol price has increased rapidly since then as well. We are coordinating with the Chief Minister’s Office to decide on the fare issue,” said Ghanashyam Dahal, Minister for Bagmati Province Ministry of Labour, Employment and Transport.