Kathmandu, March 4
Owing to frequent hikes in the prices of petroleum products, transporters have demanded that the government immediately increase public bus fares too.
The government has increased the prices of petrol and diesel by Rs 5 per litre just on Thursday. In this context, the transporters say they will raise the fares on their own if the government does not make any decision.
It has been eight months since the federal government increased the bus fares. However, a litre of petrol or diesel has become dearer by Rs 25 since then.
Saroj Sitaula, the general secretary of the Federation of Nepalese National Transport Entrepreneurs (FNNTE), says fuel prices should contribute 35 per cent to the decision on bus fares as per the scientific status, hence, a revision has been urgent now.
“The government rule requires it to revise the fares even when the fuel prices are up or down by just Rs 5,” Sitaula says, “Hence if the government doesn’t hike the fares now, we will do it on our own.”
