KATHMANDU: The newly enforced standard for a taxi may, ultimately, victimize the consumers, the experts on transport management say.

Recently the Department of Transport Management has provisioned that only the taxis having 1200 CC can get permission for operation in the valley.

The taxis in operation now are of 800 cc only. This upgrading of the taxi quality is likely to make a taxi inaccessible for most of the people leading to the shrink of the taxi business itself, the entrepreneurs fear.

The government has not made any decision about opening the registration in a new number plate yet, however, the provision has said the 20-year-old taxis going for substitution should meet this standard.

Consumers will suffer The proposed taxis are likely to be far from the prevalent consumers’ use for various reasons, for instance, their price in the market is high so they are sure to increase their fare even for their subsistence; they consume more fuel that provokes the service provider go for a fare hike.

The consumers, already suffering from various problems coming from the taxi service providers are likely to be discouraged to use them even in urgency.

The service providers demand that the provision relating to SEDAN should be declared void provided the 1200 cc taxis are to be introduced.

They want the government to rethink the decision and make it more service-providers friendly. The Department of Transport Management had prepared this report about taxi management in 2015, this new provision has come to the public before the suggestions in the report prepared than are sincerely enforced.

What is a Sedan taxi?

Sedan taxis are the taxis with better facilities than others. Their body is distinct from others. They have two full-access rows for seating and have some space for cargo at the rear accessible by a trunk. Although sedans may vary in size, length, and volume generally they have four doors, engine in the front and trunk in the back What are the characteristics of the new standard? As per the criteria set by the Department, the 1200 cc taxi should have more than 3 cylinders.

Similarly, central locking, AC Heater, Digital meter with Printer, GPS navigator with LED screens are mandatory. The taxis can be uploaded into the electric taxi The Department has made a distinct provision for electric taxis.

The taxi to be registered as an electric taxi should be a lithium- ion-batteried sedan car. It should possess features like central locking, AC Heater, digital meter with a printer, and GPS navigator system with an LED screen.

The Department had sent the draft of this new standard to the ministry in April, which was sent back recently to the Department citing it fell under the jurisprudence of the department. Now there are more than 9 thousand taxis in operation.