Government hike the fair of public transportation

KATHMANDU: The government hiked the fares of public transportation tobe effective from Wednesday. A meeting between government representatives and transport entrepreneurs at the Department of Transport Management on Tuesday had decided to increase the fares of public transport by 4.5 per cent to eight per cent. According to the Department of Transport Management, the government has raised the public transportation fare by 4.54 per cent and meter taxi by 8.19 per cent, while 5.26 per cent and 5.29 per cent has been raised for trucks and tankers operating in the Tarai and Hilly routes, respectively. The minimum public transportation fare stands at Rs 14 for the shortest travel in the capital. The department consented to adjust the fare for public transport after receiving a green signal from the Ministry of Labour and Transport Management, according to the department. The price hike is completely based on the influence from transport entrepreneurs, said consumer rights activist Jyoti Baniya. Transport entrepreneurs had been putting pressure on the government to increase public fares by at least five per cent to six per cent due to thehike in fuel prices.