Transport Sector Faces Extreme Neglect, Says Federation Chairman

Kathmandu. Chairman of the National Federation of Transport Entrepreneurs Saroj Sitoula has said that the state has extremely neglected the transport sector. Speaking from the side of stakeholders at a meeting of the parliamentary Infrastructure Development Committee, Chairman Sitoula complained that the word 'transport' has been removed from the ministry's board and that the government has not built even the minimum infrastructure despite entrepreneurs investing millions.

Giving an example of how much the state neglects the transport sector, he said, 'The name of the ministry is the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, but when you go there and look at the board, only Infrastructure Development is written, the word transport is missing. It is a tragedy that the word transport does not fit in the Ministry of Transport.'

He expressed anger that even though entrepreneurs have invested up to one and a half million and brought European-level luxury buses to the transport sector, the state has not even built a simple rest stop for drivers on the highways.

Speaking at the committee, Chairman Sitoula drew the government's attention to the extreme discrimination in the policy regarding the movement of goods vehicles and public transport between Nepal and India.

'Indian vehicles, after getting a 72-hour permit from Kakkarbhitta, Sunauli, or Raxaul, can go anywhere in Nepal. But, if our Nepali vehicles have to go to India, we have to go to the embassy, apply, and deposit one to two lakh rupees,' he said.

He demanded that vehicles carrying loads up to 50 tons from India are damaging Nepal's bridges and roads, and therefore, such vehicles should only be allowed to come up to the dry ports at the border, and a policy should be immediately implemented for Nepali vehicles to transport goods from there.

According to Sitoula, there is an extreme shortage of drivers in the country due to the government's flawed driving license policy.

'Why shouldn't one get a trial for the vehicle one has learned to drive? The impractical policy where a person capable of driving a heavy vehicle has to first get a license for a light vehicle and wait 7 years to get a heavy license has led to a situation where drivers are not available in the transport sector,' he said.

He stated that the main reason for the chaotic traffic management in the city is the lack of a clear policy from the government. 'Large mass transit buses that can accommodate 100 to 200 people should be run on big roads. But who gave permission to run 15-seater small vehicles crammed together on main roads like Ratnapark and Koteshwor?' he questioned.

Chairman Sitoula said that the government does not have accurate data on how many vehicles there are across the country, and emphasized that the government should now create a clear work procedure to make the transport sector technology-friendly, cashless, and implement online ticketing and GPS systems.