The government postponed its plan to increase transport fares till Tihar, November first week, after the consumer groups criticisied the decision.
The Department of Transport Management today said that it would not increase new fares before the festivals – Dashain and Tihar – as it could falre up inflation and put more financial burden on commuters during the festivities.
Consumer rights groups have complained that transport fares were reviewed without following the instructions issued by the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority.
Four years ago, the anti-graft body had issued a directive to fix transport fares based on practices in South Asian countries. However, the department did not conduct any study.
Earlier, Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport has given its nod to raise public transport fares by up to seven per cent last week to the department that had submitted a proposal to hike the fare.
The department would hold discussions with transport entrepreneurs and introduce new fares ‘possibly from November 1′, when the festivities will end, said director general of the department Kashi Raj Dahal.
The department was planning to hike fares of taxis, buses, trucks and tankers, by up to seven per cent before Wednesday, when commuters start advance booking for bus tickets to go home for Dashain.
Dashain witnesses huge movement across the country every year.
