Hetauda, April 30:

Transport entrepreneurs and workers today obstructed vehicular movement on East-West highway, demanding abolition of local taxes imposed by the DDC and to remove all collection points from the highway.

The transport entrepreneurs and workers alleged that a truck had gone missing and that tax collection personnel beat up transport workers. Makwanpur president of the All Nepal Transport Workers’ Union, Ram Chandra Bartaula, said the highway was blocked at Hetauda in Makwanpur, Pathlaiyya, Neejgarh and Simra in Bara, Chitwan and Sarlahi.

Transport entrepreneurs went on the warpath stating that they would not pay illegal tax collected by private contractors. Narayani Transport Entrepreneurs’ Association, Makwanpur Chambers of Commerce and Industries and Federation of Nepal Chambers of Commerce and Industries have expressed solidarity with the protesters.

Speaking at a gathering in Birgunj of transport entrepreneurs from the Narayani zone, FNCCI president Kush Kumar Joshi said, “The kabadi tax is unnecessary. It should be scrapped at once.” Meanwhile, the district administration, police officials and regional administrators waited till 7 pm for the protesters to come for dialogue but in vain. Thousands of passengers are stranded due to the blockade.