SHIVA BOHARA
KATHMANDU, June 23
The government has taken decision to add new taxis of the same size and capacity as the current ones even as consumers have been complaining that those plying in Kathmandu Valley are narrow and of low capacity.
A total of 1,850 taxis of the old 800 cc model will be added under influence of vehicle importers and a few taxi entrepreneurs. The government has even cited the earthquake as a reason to add more taxis. The Department of Transport Management has already issued circular to the Bagmati Transport Management Office to add new taxis in a way registering 500 of them for drivers who have suffered losses in the earthquake even though the department does not have details about such drivers.
The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport earlier had said that taxis will not be registered in the name of individuals but has now accepted the department’s proposal under influence of the entrepreneurs. Director General (DG) at the department Madhusudan Burlakoti said the ministry has taken decision about new taxis and instructed the Bagmati office. He avoided further questions saying he does not know much about the issue. “The ministry has taken decision and sent it to the Bagmati office. The zonal office would know about the type of taxis and the number,” he stated.
The Bagmati office had sent a report to the department in October, 2012 stating that 5,000 new taxis are needed in the Valley. But ministry sources claimed that DG has got a decision he wanted by assuring minister and secretary. The sources added that Secretary Tulasi Prasad Sitaula who was in favor of not registering new taxis without implementing cab system was pressurized by Minister Bimalendra Nidhi to agree on the issue. Secretary Sitaula refused to comment on the issue.
The ministry has asked the Bagmati office to register new taxis on three grounds. It will allow existing entrepreneurs to register 1,850 new taxis, the self-employed ones will be allowed if there are some quotas remaining and other citizens will be allowed to register taxis if there are still some remaining. Sources claimed that another 500 taxis have been allocated for earthquake victims but there are no criteria for that. The sources claimed that the department has taken rights for another 500 deluxe taxis, of at least 1,200 cc, even though they were to be registered in cooperative or private limited company.
The latest government decision means efforts for busting the taxi syndicate have failed. Doors have been closed on those wishing to invest on new taxis to manage them better after the government preaching free market economy has opened new registration allowing the existing entrepreneurs to add new ones. Some taxi entrepreneurs are also unhappy with the government decision. “If the government has taken such decision, we do not know on what grounds the decision was made,” president of Nepal Taxi Entrepreneurs’ Association Arjun Gautam said. “We will soon reveal on what grounds the government took such decision when more than 2,500 taxis have to be converted into scrap. We have no issue with capacity of the engine but the main issue is how the government was influenced,” he added.
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