Dhankuta, December 7

Senior citizens in Dhankuta and other hilly districts have been deprived of facility of seat quota and 50 per cent discount in bus fare.

In a gesture of respect for senior citizens, the government had made the policy of reservation of two seats in each public bus and 50 per cent discount in fare for those above 60 years. Though the provision is implemented in Kathmandu and Tarai districts, senior citizens traveling along the Koshi Highway have been deprived of the facilities.

Senior Citizen Dhankuta Town Committee Chairperson Tika Prasad Ghimire warned of an agitation if the facilities they are entitled to were not given.

“Vehicles hardly stop for elderly people. Even if they take them on board, they are misbehavedwith, aren’t provided the seats they are entitled to or are forced to get off ahead of their destination, which is not fair,” he said.

Lately, after senior citizens reached out to the district administration office with written complaints, the administration is said to have been seriously working to ensure that senior citizens got the facilities.

Dhankuta Chief District Officer Krishna Bahadur Ghimire admitted that senior citizens were being deprived the facilities. “It’s true that elderly citizens are being neglected and not provided the facilities they are entitled to. We can end such practice by stepping up monitoring of the vehicles plying along the Koshi Highway,” he said. Transportation entrepreneurs have pointed out complexities in implementing the facilities for senior citizens.

“We’re ready to oblige senior citizens with the facilities they if they show us their identity cards. We can’t simply judge someone by their faces,” said Purbeli Yatayat Vyabasayi Company representative Gyan Bahadur Katuwal.