Kathmandu, May 20

Traffic police today detained and took action against 119 taxis for plying without computer billing system and refusing to serve commuters by turning on their fare meters.

Though the government made it mandatory for taxis to install computer billing system, some cab operators have been reluctant to comply with this decision. Issuing a directive on January 17 last year, Nepal Bureau of Standard and Metrology had asked taxi operators in Kathmandu Valley to have the system installed by July 22. Over 8,700 out of  9,700 taxis operating in the valley have been fitted with automated billing machine till date.

According to Metropolitan Traffic Police Division, over 30 cabs without computer billing system have been handed over to NBSM for legal action while others were fined Rs 1,500 each.

A traffic police official said MTPD had requested NBSM to provide details of the cabs which were yet to install automated billing system. NBSM releases such taxis only after they are fitted with the system. The government had announced this mandatory provision amid the increasing trend of cabbies overcharging commuters by tampering with fare meters. This system requires taxi drivers to issue receipts to passengers.

The receipt has information like distance travelled, total fare and registration number of cab. In order to strictly enforce the rule, the government has also introduced a provision under which taxi operators cannot renew or transfer ownership of taxi if they have not installed billing system.

The government charges cab operators around Rs 9,000 for the billing system. Traffic police have encouraged passengers to demand the bill after travel and to report to traffic police if the taxi is not equipped with the system. MTPD has also deployed cops to identify and detain the taxis without automated billing system.

200 vehicles booked

KATHMANDU: Traffic police on Sunday booked over 200 public vehicles, including buses, microbuses and three-wheeler tempos, for carrying passengers beyond their seating capacity in the valley on Sunday. According to Metropolitan Traffic Police Division, they were released after being fined Rs 500 for first instance. “If the vehicles are caught repeating the offence for second time, driving licence of the concerned drivers will be taken into our custody for further action,” DSP Mukunda Marasini warned. Earlier, Minister for Home Affairs Ram Bahadur Thapa had directed Nepal Police to initiate action against public vehicles carrying passengers beyond seating capacity. — HNS