But while high-flying airline passengers enjoyed immediate relief thanks to swift regulatory action, the millions of daily commuters relying on buses, micros, and trucks are still being forced to pay inflated, outdated rates.
The question every citizen is asking is simple: Why is the government failing to protect the public?
The Glaring Disparity: Air vs. Road
The speed difference in how these price cuts were handled exposes a frustrating double standard in our regulatory systems:
- The Aviation Sector: The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) acted instantly, directing airlines to slash fares. Private airlines complied immediately.
- The Public Transport Sector: The Department of Transport Management (DoTM) and the Ministry of Infrastructure Development have remained completely silent, leaving ordinary citizens at the mercy of transport syndicates.
"The price of petrol and diesel has come down so much, but bus drivers still demand the old fare. Should the government think only for the rich who ride airplanes, or for the poor who ride the bus?"
— Arjun Subedi, a commuter stranded at Ratnapark.
Breaking the Rules: The 5% Threshold Has Been Smashed
According to the government’s own mechanism, public transport fares must be adjusted automatically if fuel prices fluctuate by more than 5 percent.
The current Rs 30 per litre drop is way past that 5% trigger point. Yet, the Department of Transport Management has failed to enforce its own rules. This regulatory paralysis is directly allowing transport entrepreneurs to line their pockets with money that belongs in the pockets of the working class.
The Hypocrisy of Transport Entrepreneurs
Transport businessmen are famous for demanding an "automatic fare system" the second international fuel prices tick upward. They threaten strikes and demand immediate fare hikes. Yet, when fuel prices plummet, that passion for "automatic systems" mysteriously vanishes.
By allowing businessmen to maintain this silence, government agencies are essentially legitimizing a market syndicate.
The Government Must Step In Now
This is no longer just about fuel economics; it is a failure of governance. The benefits of international market relief are being intercepted by transport cartels simply because regulatory bodies refuse to do their jobs.
The Ministry and DoTM must
- Issue an immediate directive to slash public transport and freight fares in alignment with the Rs 30 fuel reduction.
- Deploy traffic police and monitoring teams to the streets to ensure bus and micro drivers aren't overcharging passengers.
- Penalize operators who refuse to comply with the adjusted rates.
If the government does not pull down these fares immediately, it sends a clear and dangerous message: the state protects the profits of businessmen over the survival of the common people. It's time for the Ministry of Infrastructure Development to step up, enforce the law, and give the public the relief they were promised.
