Kathmandu, May 4

Most of the public vehicles stayed off the roads today due to the nationwide transport strike called by Federation of Nepali National Transport Entrepreneurs.

Commuters were hit hard, as they could not reach their destinations on time — people had to walk long distances, as very few vehicles plied the roads.

Patients too were hit hard due to the vehicular strike. Ram Chandra Raut, a resident of Rautahat, who was set to be discharged from a hospital in Kathmandu, had to stay in the hospital bed for one more day.

Another patient, Sneha Siwakoti, from Imadol also shared a similar plight. “If I hadn’t got my own two-wheeler, it would have been very difficult for me to bring blood from the blood bank for my sister-in-law’s emergency operation,” she said.

Many commuters faced difficulties, as they were unaware about the strike.

They demanded that any information related to such strikes should reach them so that they could prepare for such eventualities.

“I was unaware about the vehicular shutdown today. As I reached the bus park, I came to know about vehicular strike,” said a commuter.

The students too were at the receiving end, as they couldn’t get vehicles to reach their destinations. Many schools and colleges remained shut due to the strike.