KATHMANDU: Public transport operators protesting against the ride-sharing guidelines introduced by the Gandaki Province government have decided to continue their strike, even after agreeing to form a negotiation committee.
A meeting between Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak and leaders of the Central Struggle Committee to Save Public Transport, held Monday morning at the Ministry of Home Affairs, resulted in an agreement to form an 11-member negotiation team comprising four representatives from transport entrepreneurs and workers, and seven from various government ministries.
The committee is expected to begin talks immediately. However, the struggle committee clarified that the strike will continue until a concrete outcome is reached.
According to the agitating parties, the situation for workers involved in public transport and self-employment has become increasingly dire. They have submitted a seven-point demand, which includes the scrapping of the new guidelines that allow private vehicles to operate like public transport.
The All Nepal Transport Workers Union claims over 1.2 million workers are directly or indirectly dependent on the sector. More than 50,000 public transport vehicles have halted, affecting the livelihoods of thousands and disrupting daily travel for over five million people.
Experts warn that failure to resolve the crisis may put the entire national transportation system at risk.
Comment