KATHMANDU, MARCH 22

Traffic police took action against 9,611 errant cabbies in Kathmandu valley in the fiscal 2020-21.

According to a report published by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the number of unruly taxi drivers increased to 9,611 in 2020- 21 from the previous fiscal's 7,918. Of 10,500 taxis registered with Transport Management Office in the valley, around 9,000 are in operation.

The cabbies were booked for bargaining with passengers over fare, refusing to provide short distance service, tampering with fare-meters, and overcharging.

Despite the recent police crackdown, cabbies continue to fleece passengers.

Metropolitan Traffic Police Division said it had intensified action against unscrupulous cabbies as they showed no sign of adhering to the rules. Traffic personnel, both in uniform and civil dress have been deployed in busy areas, including hospitals and bus parks to monitor rule violations such as operating taxis without the mandatory seal on the fare-meter, refusal to provide short distance service to passengers, tampering with and using defunct meters and bargaining over fare without turning on the meter.

Of the cabbies found on the wrong side of the law during 2020-21, nearly 70 per cent were penalised for bargaining with passengers and refusing to provide service by turning on the fare-meter.

Traffic police have been keeping a close eye on taxis in the daytime and at night when they try to fleece passengers taking advantage of emergencies and non-availability of public vehicles. The crackdown was aimed at deterring cabbies from overcharging and cheating commuters.

Many of the cabbies were repeat offenders. If the data of unscrupulous taxi drivers are analysed, hardly a few cabbies can be found doing their business honestly, said a traffic official.

According to MTPD, on an average, 30 cabbies are booked on a daily basis for fleecing commuters. MTPD has appealed to passengers to call the traffic control room (103) or send SMS to 9851295100 or file a complaint through MTPD's Facebook page to initiate action against fraudulent taxi drivers.

Cabbies who refuse to serve passengers by turning on the fare-meter are referred to the Transport Management Office for action and are fined Rs 2,000.

Similarly, if a taxi driver is found operating with a tampered meter, the National Bureau of Standards and Meteorology may impose a fine of up to Rs 5,000, along with a warning in the first instance.

A version of this article appears in the print on March 23, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.