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Independent bus operators call off chakka jam
KATHMANDU, JAN 06 - Nepal Institutional Transport Entrepreneurs’ Association (NITEA) that announced nation-wide chakka jam for long-tour buses from today suspended its protest programme after the government intervened in the matter.As a part of the protest programme, nevertheless, the office bearers of the Association blocked the vehicular movement to and from the Kathmandu Valley at Kalanki for four hours starting half past four in the morning. However, the traffic movement was cleared after police disarrayed the protestors.
"Later, we decided to call off the chakka jam programme after the Chief District Officer of Kathmandu district called us for negotiations," said Birendra Bhakta Shrestha, promoter of Makalu Yatayat. According to him, the protesting entrepreneurs would be meeting Transport Secretary too on Tuesday and urging him do justice to independent bus operators by paving way for them to ply freely in any part of the country on the basis of route permit.
The Association had called for the protest after the Prithvi Highway Bus Operators Committee, a syndicate of bus operators of western region, barred independent bus entrepreneurs from operating in Pokhara despite the government’s permission. Such act of the committee goes against the laws as it bans the syndicate system.Federation of Nepalese Transport Entrepreneurs, the apex body of bus operators, has asked the government to issue road permit to new bus operators only after evaluating if existing service providers are inadequate to serve the passengers flow.
Issuing a press release, it has said that six different categories of buses ranging from luxurious air-conditioned to local are operating in Pokhara-Kathmandu route in affiliation with the committee. "Allowing newer bus operators to ply on the route is unnecessary, as it promotes unfair practices and affects return of investment," it states.
Meanwhile, the NITEA, in its press release, has said that it would continue the protest programme if the government failed to do justice to independent bus operators and fulfil its other demands.Posted on: 2004-01-07 03:09
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