Kathmandu, November 29:

Minister of State for Labour and Transport Management Ramesh Lekhak today held a meeting with the security authorities and transport entrepreneurs concerned and reached an agreement to take bold steps to resolve the existing disorder in the transport sector.

The meeting also decided to form a mechanism to control existing chaotic situation in the Valley’s transportation system including the traffic mess.

According to Director General of the Department of Transport Management Khagendra Mani Pokhrel, minister Lekhak expressed serious concerns about the increasing traffic jams and road accidents.

“The minister has asked the authorities concerned to let him know if they need any kind of assistance from the ministry including the legal provisions to manage the transport sector,” he said adding that a mechanism will be formed within a week to control the traffic mess and other problems in the transportation sector.

Assistant spokesperson for the ministry Girija Sharma said all the participants in the meeting including traffic police, representatives from the Police Headquarters and transport entrepreneurs have agreed to systematise the transportation sector.

Pokhrel said the minister was particularly worried over the increasing number of road accidents. He said the minister was ready to provide authority to the police if they needed it to check overloading of passenger buses and cargo trucks, which are considered as major causes for road accidents. He also called for a total control in passengers’ travel on hoods or roofs of vehicles.

“Police would be authorised to seize documents of the overloaded vehicles and the drivers flouting the traffic rules,” Pokhrel added.

General secretary of the Federation of Nepalese National Transport Entrepreneurs Krishna Adhikary said they will help the government in its endeavour to minimise road accidents. He said rules for systematic parking of vehicles should be strictly applied to avoid traffic jams in the Valley.

Meanwhile, Pokhrel said the committee formed to study transportation fares has been submitted to the ministry on Tuesday. He said a scientific system has been developed to fix the fares. However, transport entrepreneurs and consumers’ forum have written note of dissent on the report. Transport entrepreneurs have demanded that the fares be increased in the existing rate while the Consumers’ Forum has opposed to any increase in transport fares. The DoTM has taken the government-fixed rate as the base to increase the fares, which are far less than the fares being charged by the entrepreneurs.

Adhikary said the DoTM alone cannot decide on the fare. Lekhak however assured the transport entrepreneurs of fixing new rates only after consultations with all concerned sides.