KATHMANDU: Although a week has passed since the Department of Transport Management (DoTM) introduced an adjusted fare rate for the public transportation following the price drop in the petroleum products, complaints coming from all quarters have shown that it has not been effectively implemented yet.

The Department, in presence of the stakeholders, transportation entrepreneurs, consumers and traffic police, had decided on September 9 to reduce the public transport fares by 2.22 to 3 per cent to be effective from September 11.

But, Roshan Pokharel, a consumer, does not find the decision implemented. "The transportation entrepreneurs, who hike the fare as the price of petroleum products goes up, are reluctant to implement the government's latest decision to cut down on the public transport fare," he commented.

DoTM Director General Chandra Man Shrestha shared that those public transports which were not implementing the DoTM's decision would be brought to book. "Those who are not implementing the decision will be penalised up to Rs 5,000 as per the Motor Vehicle and Transport Management Act, 1993," informed Shrestha.

The passengers can lodge complaints about the public transport charging them higher to hotline 103, according to Rajendra Prasad Bhatta, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) at the Metropolitan Traffic Police Division, Ramshapath.

Of the Rs 13 minimum fare charged for the short route, the students ought to be charged Rs 7 instead of the earlier fare Rs 10 with the 45 per cent discount. "We have received 185 such complaints, mostly from the students," shared DSP Bhatta.

Similarly, Shakuntala Rajbanshi, a student, was charged Rs 15 while she travelled from Sinamangal to Singhadurbar although she was entitled to 45 per cent student discount.

She said that she had complained to the police about the incident. "Let's see if they take any action against them," said Rajbanshi.