Tika R Pradhan

Kathmandu, June 30:

Bus companies not affiliated to syndicates have signed pacts with the Sajha Yatayat to save themselves from syndicate ‘hassles’. For minimial fees, they can use the logo of the state-owned transport body and park their buses on Sajha bus parks. Bus entrepreneurs, who are not members of the syndicate, said they had to take this step because the syndicates wouldn’t allow them to ply their buses otherwise. It may be recalled that microbuses sporting Sajha logos were attacked in Pokhara many a time. Bhuminanda Dhakal, the executive director of the Brihaspati Yatayat Private Limited (BYPL), said he reached an agreement with the Sajha Yatayat for two reasons. First and the most important reason was to avoid hassles from various syndicates which identify themselves as ‘committees’. “They can damage our buses or prevent them from plying,” Dhakal said, adding that they were ready to face the consequences. “We have to pay Rs 150,000 for acquiring the membership of the committee, but we are allowed to run vehicles for just 10 days in a month.” The second reason, he said, was that Sajha was popular. “We can cash in on the image of Sajha.” The BYPL plans to run 30 microbuses along ring road and 50 buses in other parts of the country. The Valley Swoyambhu Bus Service Committee and the Purba Mechi Yatayat (PMY) have also inked similar agreements with Sajha.