Ramechhap, October 6

Public vehicles in Ramechhap district have been fleecing passengers by collecting transport fares indiscriminately even after Dashain is over, according to locals.

Earlier, Chief District Officer of Ramechhap Dilip Prasad Lamichhane had committed to control arbitrary transport fares before Dashain. However, flying in the face of his pledge, transport operators have been collecting transport fares double what service seekers normally used to pay.

Department of Transport Management had fixed the transport fare at Rs 381 per person from Kathmandu to the Ramechhap district headquarters of Manthali.

Civil Society member Birendra Shrestha said vehicle owners and workers hiked fares 100 per cent. Even the local administration and media, despite their knowledge about the anomaly, seem to be turning a blind eye to it.

Shrestha said public vehicles had been charging as much as Rs 300 per person for a 13-km distance. A passenger travelling from Kathmandu to Manthali has to pay up to Rs 1,000.

Laxmi Ghimire from Salupati of Manthali Municipality complained that she paid Rs 200 to get to Manthali from Salu while she was charged Rs 1,000 to travel to Kathmandu from Manthali. “Earlier, I used to pay Rs 100 to get to Manthali from Salu. But, this time, I paid double the amount,” Laxmi said.