POKHARA: Entrepreneurs active in ride-sharing and self-drive services have expressed strong dissatisfaction with the Gandaki Provincial Government’s decision to suspend its recently introduced Ride-Sharing and Self-Drive Services Regulation Guidelines for a month.
In a formal letter addressed to the Chief Minister of Gandaki Province, the Self-Drive Pokhara and Ride-Sharing Entrepreneurs’ Community condemned the decision, calling it a violation of the spirit of federalism.
They argue that the guidelines were in line with the Gandaki Province Vehicle and Transport Management Act, 2019 (Article 13(4)), and had finally addressed the demands ride-sharing operators had been making for over three decades.
According to the entrepreneurs, the federal government pressured the provincial authorities to halt the guidelines, which they see as an interference in the promotion of self-employment and digital transportation services.
They claim their businesses are legally registered under the Industrial Enterprise Act, 2019, and have been operating ride-sharing and self-drive services for years. However, due to the lack of a formal licensing mechanism, they were paying taxes without receiving full legal recognition or the right to operate openly.
“The new guidelines were a historic step, as they began to formally recognize our sector,” the letter states. “But now, under federal direction, suspending these guidelines only empowers the outdated syndicate system.”
The entrepreneurs have called on both federal and provincial governments to immediately withdraw their agreement to delay the regulation and warned of launching severe protest programs if their demands are ignored. They also urged civil society, consumers, and the general public to unite in opposition to transport syndicates.
The protest letter was also sent to the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, relevant ministries within the Gandaki Province, the District Administration Office Kaski, and the Transport Management Office Kaski.
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