Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, March 26:

A meeting of Nepali and Chinese officials today finalised issues related to the much-awaited direct bus service between Kathmandu and Lhasa. The teams will, however, meet once again tomorrow evening to give a final touch and “sort out” the remaining issues. The meeting worked out details of the service which will connect the scenic Tibetan capital of Lhasa with Kathmandu. The bus service is scheduled to start from May 1. The teams today picked up issues which were not sorted out in the earlier meetings, with nagging issue of the status of roads on the Nepali side topping the agenda. Both the teams sorted out guidelines concerning repair and maintenance of buses on the way, lodging for passengers and stations where the buses will be refuelled. There are at least three stations on each side of the 1000 km road.

Purushottam Ojha, Secretary at the Ministry of Labour and Transport Management, said issues are being sorted out since there has been a consensus on starting the bus service. While efforts are also on to ensure round-the-year service although Sajha Yatayat will have only two buses while the booking will open by April end. The journey is expected to take three days.

It may be recalled that the meeting which was held in October had decided that the number of daily direct luxury buses would be 21. The issues, which are expected to be sorted out by tomorrow’s meeting, are whether the buses can pick up passengers on the way and whether the Sajha Yatayat should have the authority to issue visa permits as well. “They were convinced with the condition of the roads,” said Mukunda Satyal, general manager of the Sajha Yayayat. The Nepali team insisted that the buses should be allowed to pick up passengers at Khasa on way to Kathmandu and suggested that the Sajha Yatayat should be allowed to issue visas. Meanwhile, the fare has been fixed at $ 70 in case of luxury coaches while the same is $ 50 for ordinary buses. The service can be discontinued for three months in winter if there is no agreement over year-round service.