KATHMANDU: The Valley Taxi Driver Management Committee on Thursday urged the government to impose the Scientific Fare Determination Mechanism to ease issues facing taxi drivers and passengers alike.

Organising a press meet in Kathmandu, the stakeholder committee representing cabbies in the Valley asked the government to revise rates which haven’t been changed since 2012 and replace it with a scientific fare determination mechanism.

“The government does not perceive us cabbies as Nepali citizens,” Senior Taxi Driver Purna Tamang said, “State authorities have gone against the welfare of laborers.”

“We are not here to protest and hinder works but we demand that the government implement a fair system based on international practices such that the new rates are adjusted to inflation,” Tamang added.

According to the cabbies, taxi drivers in the Valley do not want to carry passengers over short distances because of a unscientific fare system.

“In majority of developed countries, once a passengers enters a cab, the drivers are assured payment for a route distance of 3 to 4 kilometers but the cabbies in Kathmandu get only Rs 14 for the same distance,” a cab driver shared, “And if we hesitate to ply on short route we are subjected to fines and punishments.”

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(Edited By Prahlad Rijal)