Hetauda, March 17

With the implementation of government’s decision to put a ban on the vehicles older than 20 years from March 15, e-rickshaws and auto rickshaws of Hetauda Sub-metropolis in Makawanpur have started charging the passengers arbitrarily.

E-rickshaw and auto-rickshaw drivers are fleecing the passengers who travel from Hetauda’s main bazaar area to Chaughada, Bashamadi, Kamane, Padampokhari, Samari and Ratomate, among others. An auto-rickshaw that used to charge Rs 100 for traveling from Hetauda’s Buddhachowk to Padampokhari charges Rs 300 now. Local LaxmanUpreti said that though the auto fare from Chuaghada to Hetauda was Rs 50 to 100 they had started charging around Rs 250.

District Administration Office, who is responsible to monitor the arbitrary fare, is turning blind eyes to the problem. Passengers are compelled to pay Rs 300 for the route Bikram tempo used to charge Rs 15 earlier. Tempos used to charge Rs 15 for the route from Hetuada’s Rapti to Hetauda’s Bashamadi. But, the auto-rickshaws charge Rs 300 for the same route now.

Local Bishal Adhikari said that they were forced to take e-rickshaw and auto-rickshaws as there were no other vehicles left for them to reach their duty station after the governments ban on 20-year-old vehicles.