The Bindhabasini Transport Entrepreneurs Committee has not been able to put into service its 10 new Euro III standard buses as the government has refused to issue route permits. The committee had applied for permission to operate them as per the government’s directive requiring public vehicles to meet Euro III emission standards. However, the Gandaki Zone Transport Management Office has been holding back permission citing an excessive number of vehicles and environmental and road capacity reasons. The Bindhabasini Transport Entrepreneurs Committee has invested Rs 30 million in the 10 vehicles, and plans to import 48 more. It has not been able to obtain route permits due to the opposition of the Prithvi Rajmarg Transport Operators’ Committee, Taxi Entrepreneurs Committee and Pokhara City Transport Entrepreneurs Committee. These three committees have been dominating the transport business, and have reportedly warned of launching a protest if the government issues route permits to Bindhabasini. They have been enjoying a captive market, and their syndicate has prevented travellers from making use of new vehicles. Last month, entrepreneurs belonging to Bindhabasini scuffled with officials of the Transport Management Office after it refused to issue a permit. “Despite our repeated requests, the office showed no interest in giving us permission,” said Yubaraj Khatiwada, a member of the committee. He added that the refusal indicated the existence of irregularities. Bindhabasini has applied for route permits four times. It has also filed complaints at the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) against the Gandaki Zone Transport Management Office, Pokhara City Transport Entrepreneurs Committee and Taxi Entrepreneurs Committee. “The Pokhara City Transport Entrepreneurs Committee which supports the syndicate does not want us on the roads,” said Pramod Dawadi, a member of the committee. He added that the Transport Management Office and the District Administration Office had also supported the syndicate even though such systems have been declared illegal by the Supreme Court. The Transport Management Office and the local administration here have reported to their central level offices that the situation could worsen if they issue route permits. “We are against the syndicate system,” said Yadav Raj Koirala, chief district officer of Kaski. “The route permit is issued by the government office concerned, and not the CDO office.”
Posted on: Thu, 08 Aug 2013 04:34:41 +0000
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