Public Transport Operators to Halt Services from Monday in Protest of Ride-Sharing Policy

Public transport services in Gandaki Province will come to a complete stop starting Monday (Jestha 19), as transport entrepreneurs and workers have announced an indefinite strike. The decision was made in protest against the new ride-sharing regulation introduced by the Gandaki Province government.

According to a joint press release issued by seven major transport unions, private vehicles are now being allowed to pick up passengers under the name of ride-sharing. The unions argue that this is unfair and goes against the existing Transport Management Act 2049 and Nepal’s constitution (Article 57, Clause 6, Sub-clause 3 and 5).

The protestors say that while public transport owners have followed all legal procedures and invested heavily in their businesses, the government is now giving equal opportunity to private vehicles without clear rules or standards. This, they believe, will damage the public transportation sector and harm the livelihoods of thousands of drivers and workers.

Despite raising their concerns with the provincial and federal governments multiple times, no action was taken. Feeling ignored, the transport unions said they were left with no choice but to stop services and launch the strike.

They announced that all public vehicles will be kept off the roads starting Monday, and they will only resume operations if the government addresses their demands. They also said the government will be responsible for any trouble faced by passengers due to the transport shutdown.

The organizations supporting the strike include the Public Transport Central Federation Nepal, Nepal Transport Entrepreneurs National Federation, Nepal Transport Federation, and various transport workers' unions.