Kathmandu, July 21:

On the issue of 45 per cent discount on transport fares to students, transport entrepreneurs today said they were preparing to come up with a decision within a few days, but added that they would not be able to provide discounted fares on long and medium routes.

The central committee of Federation of Nepali National Transport Entrepreneurs is currently engaged in discussions to reach a decision on the issues.

"We would come up with a decision within a few days," said Krishna Prasad Adhikary, general secretary of Federation of Nepali National Transport Entrepreneurs .

"We are discussing on the major issues and are receiving information from all organisations

of transport entrepreneurs,"

Adhikari said.

He said that the transport entrepreneurs were not in a position to provide the government-declared student discount on long- and medium-routes.

"We are also considering boycotting the subsidy being provided by the government to public vehicles," he said.

The issues under discussion include the quota system for student discount on long and medium routes, mechanism to check the rampant misuse of student identity cards, syndicate system and fuel shortage.

They are also discussing on fixing fares on a scientific basis throughout the nation within the next two months, as the entrepreneurs were not happy with the existing fares that were flatly increased by some 27 per cent recently.

Adhikary further said the acute shortage of fuel has kept most of the vehicles off the road.

"Some 75 per cent of the public vehicles are off the road," he said adding that the government had failed to provide sufficient fuel despite hiking the price.

"We are not getting fuel even after staying in queues for days," Adhikari added.