KATHMANDU: The Metropolitan Traffic Police Division (MTPD) has taken action against a total of 6,664 taxi drivers for unfair business practices and in various traffic rule violations in Kathmandu in the current fiscal year.
According to the MTPD, traffic police booked the taxi drivers for operating taxis without the mandatory seal on fare-meter, refusal to provide short distance service to passengers, tampering with and using defunct meter, and bargaining over fare without turning on the meter among others.
The MTPD had taken action against 8,120 taxi drivers in the last fiscal year 2074/75 BS. According to the MTPD Chief and Senior Superintendent of Office (SSP) Basanta Panta, noose was tightened against those taxi drivers trying to fleecing the passengers. He said, “We have been deploying some 40-50 traffic personnel to keep a close watch on such taxi drivers.”
Such unscrupulous taxi drivers are fined Rs 3,000. The taxi drivers charging arbitrarily or exorbitantly for five times would recommended by the MTPD to the Office of Transport Management for scrapping the license of taxi drivers.
Likewise, those taxi drivers bargaining over fare without turning on the meter or using defunct meters were finned Rs 500- Rs 1500. The MTPD has also urged the passengers to load the complaint at traffic control room (103) in case of above-mentioned circumstances with the taxi drivers.
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