KATHMANDU, APRIL 14

Citing a hike in fuel prices, the Ministry of Labour, Employment, and Transportation of Bagmati Province has raised public transportation fare by 10 per cent effective from today.

With the adjustment in fare, passengers will now be charged a minimum of Rs 20 for any public transportation. Succumbing transport entrepreneurs' pressure, the Bagmati government has increased public transportation fares by 10 per cent in the province, including Kathmandu valley.

As per the new rates, passengers will be required to pay Rs 20 for up to five kilometres, Rs 25 for up to 10 km, Rs 30 for up to 15 km, Rs 33 for up to 20 km, and Rs 38 for more than 20 km in Kathmandu valley.

The ministry said deluxe bus operators could also add 10 per cent to the standard fares.

Operators are required to transport luggage up to 15 kg for free and can charge Rs 5 for every additional kilo up to 10 kg of goods and baggage of passengers. However, they should not exceed the gross vehicle weight prescribed by the vehicle manufacturing company.

Taxi fares have also been adjusted in Bagmati. According to the ministry, the revised flag-down charge (the minimum amount a passenger has to pay for a ride) of cab is Rs 50. This means that taxi riders will have had to pay Rs 50 for rides of up to one kilometre. After the initial one-kilometre ride, taxi commuters will have to pay Rs 10 for every 200 metres travelled from existing Rs 9.80 charged for the same distance earlier.

The waiting charge for taxis has been set at Rs 1.20 per minute, with maximum waiting period set at 30 minutes. The night time fare for cabs (those operating between 9:00pm and 4:00am) has been set at Rs 15 per every 200 metres after the flag-down rate of Rs 50.

According to President of the Federation of Nepalese National Transport Entrepreneurs Yogendra Nath Karmacharya, transport entrepreneurs have welcomed the government's decision to revise public transportation fare.

'We welcome the government's scientific decision on the fare adjustment,' said Karmacharya.

The government's mechanism gives 35 per cent weightage to fuel price and 65 per cent weightage to the price of other components while reviewing public transportation fare.

The public transportation fare was last reviewed on 18 October 2021 under pressure from transport entrepreneurs. Back then, petrol and diesel used to cost Rs 130 per litre and Rs 113 per litre, respectively. Since then, prices have surged by Rs 30 a litre each.

A version of this article appears in the print on April 15, 2022, of The Himalayan Times