Lobbying for increasing bus fare before festivals; When will advance ticket-booking open?

Kathmandu: Transport entrepreneurs have begun lobbying for an increase in the bus fare for the upcoming festivals. They have been constantly visiting the Department of Transport Management (DoTM) to adjust the fare.

Entrepreneurs demanded the increment by showing excuses like not being able to pay the installments due to the increase in the bank interest and the road infrastructure being terrible. They have not cared about initiating advance ticket booking for Dashain as the government has not given attention to their demands.

Entrepreneurs complained that the previous government had decided to adjust the bus fare in every Chaitra, which had not been implemented. National Federation of Nepal Transport Professionals’ Chairperson Bijaya Swar said that they demanded the adjustment as it was not done in Chaitra.

Swar said, ‘We have been demanding the adjustment since Chaitra. This is not a bargaining. There are billions of investments in the transportation sector. More than 1.5 million workers are engaged in this sector. Demands should not be overshadowed.’

Inter-Province fare had been adjusted on August 16 (Shrawan 31). Entrepreneurs said that the advance ticket booking would be appropriate before one week of Dashain.

The DoTM has thought about addressing the demands after the festivals. DoTM Director-General Uddhav Rijal said, ‘It is not acceptable to increase the bus fare during the time of the festival. We can discuss it later.’

Director-General Rial said that an official discussion had decided to start the advance ticket booking of bus tickets leaving Kathmandu Valley on 25^th Asoj. About 20 lakh passengers had left Kathmandu on the last Dashain. The same number is expected even this year.

Entrepreneurs have claimed to improve the road infrastructure. Narayangadh–Butwal, Mugling–Pokhara, and Kamala-Kanchanpur road section is a busy route. But these sections are in an under-construction state. That might affect the traveling. They have demanded the improvement of the roads.