KATHMANDU: After a 15-year hiatus, the government is preparing to take a decision to add new taxis. A committee formed to recommend the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport (MoPIT) about permitting registration of taxis has suggested opening registration for a total of 2,350 new cabs. The committee has suggested that the new taxis be operated by registered companies and the taxi drivers who were affected in the April 25 earthquake. Submitting a proposal on new taxis, the committee headed by Madhusudan Burlakoti, director general of the Department of Transport Management (DoTM) has said that three types of taxis — general, deluxe and super deluxe — could be registered in Kathmandu Valley. An official at the DoTM said that the recommendation to add new cabs was made despite reservations from transporters. Existing taxi operators had suggested the DoTM not to resume registration of new taxis, and rather give permission to import 800cc new taxis to replace 20-year-old cabs. The president of the Federation of Nepalese National Transport Entrepreneurs, transport entrepreneurs, technical director of DoTM, and senior divisional engineer of MoPIT were members in the committee. As per the committee, currently there are 5,650 taxis in operation in the Valley. “The committee has suggested adding a total of 1,850 new taxis so that the number of cabs in the Valley will be similar to what it was 15 years ago, that is 7,500 units,” said Tulasi Prasad Sitaula, secretary of MoPIT. The committee has advised MoPIT to open registration for additional 500 taxis to support quake-affected cab drivers. “Only one taxi driver from one household will be eligible for this facility,” said Sitaula, adding, “We will fix a limit and give the permission for taxi drivers on a ‘first come, first served’ basis.” He said that they were going through the proposal and would reach a decision regarding registration and operation of new cabs within a week. With increased population and road network, earlier MoPIT had said that it would add 2,500 to 3,000 units of new taxis. In 2000, Kathmandu had a population of 1.6 million and now it has increased to around four million. MoPIT said that operation of new taxis under cab system through public companies will be made mandatory. However, it will not be applicable to those drivers who will get to buy and operate new taxis as a facility extended to quake-victims. “Public companies getting the operating licence should be allowed to operate 500 to 1,000 units of taxis to create competition,” said an official of the DoTM. “And, fare should vary depending on the type of taxis.” In the late 1990s, the government had implemented the cab system allowing companies to operate 10 taxis each, but those companies were unable to sustain as a huge number of other general taxis were providing services at the same fare. The committee had a mandate to recommend the number of cabs to be added, type, capacity and operation models, among others. However, even as it has suggested adopting cab system as operation model, the panel has remained silent on capacity issue. Generally, normal taxis have capacity below 1,150cc and those with higher cc are considered as ‘deluxe’ taxis. Similarly, cabs with capacity of over 1,400cc are considered ‘super deluxe’.