Home Minister directs action against entrepreneurs not operating transport services

Kathmandu – Minister for Home Affairs Ram Bahadur Thapa 'Badal' has instructed the district authorities to take action against the transport committees not operating transport services. 

The Home Minister today issued directives to the Chief District Officers throughout the country to initiate action against the transport committees and entrepreneurs not operating services as per the Essential Services Operation Act, 2014. 

He has also directed the district authorities to even take action against the office-holders of the transport committees if necessary as well as to initiate investigation into the assets of the transport committees. 

Before this the government had decided not to register and renew the transport committees which had been operating as non-governmental organisations requiring them to register under the Company Act, in a bid to end the 'syndicate' system in the transport sector. 

The transport committees have prevented the operation of transport services run by the committees across the country today in protest against the government's decision. They have also announced phase-wise protest against the government's decision. 

Meanwhile, the Department of Transport Management has started collecting the list of the transport committees not operating their services throughout the country today. 

Department's spokesperson Tulsiram Aryal said they were preparing to repeal the route permit of the committees not operating transport services on the designated routes. 

"Teams have been mobilised in all the districts for monitoring the transport. We will consider the alternatives beginning from tomorrow after getting the monitoring report," he said. 

The Department has stated that it is preparing to provide services to the passengers even by exploring other alternatives.

It said it is preparing to take maximum legal action against the transport entrepreneurs and committees flouting the government's notice published in the Nepal Gazettee last week which prohibited strikes in the essential services. 
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