Sajha bus service lands in route trouble

KATHMANDU, APR 19 -

Less than a week into its operation, the Sajha bus service has landed in trouble. Transport entrepreneurs have objected to the operation of the green buses on two routes, saying that the permit was issued without their consent.

The entrepreneurs have also been complaining that Sajha ‘snatched away’ their ‘daily bread,’ as smaller vehicles operating on the two routes have been hit hard. General Secretary of the Federation of Nepalese National Transport Entrepreneurs, Dol Nath Khanal, said they have serious objection to the routes of the Sajha buses. “The Sajha service began without prior discussions with us. The routes were also granted without consultations,” Khanal said. He demanded that the authorities concerned urgently address the matter.

Tulasi Gautam of the Bagmati Zonal Office of the Transport Management Office, however, said other bus services are opposing the Sajha route simply because the latter “has broken their domination by proving a great service to the passengers.”

“Everyone has the right to acquire a route permit. Moreover, Sajha is not a new service, it is just the revival of the old one,” Gautam said. The entrepreneurs also claimed that the routes currently given to Sajha are not what they had applied for. The two routes applied by Sajha were Harihar Bhawan-Tripureshwor-Ranipokhari-Kamalpokhari-Gaushala-Koteshwor-Satdobato-Lagankhel and Satdobato-Lagankhel-Jawalakhel-Tripureshwor-Teku-Kalimati-Kalanki. However the granted routes were Satdobato-Lagankhel, Jawalakhel-Tripureshwor, Ratnapark, Maharajgunj, Basundhara, New Buspark, and Kalanki-Kalimati-New Baneshwor-Tinkune-Airport. Gautam said there were slight changes in the routes due to protests from other bus owners. “These routes were granted to Sajha as alternatives to the earlier routes. While giving the permits we have to assure smoothness of the service. We had to even consider the size of the (new) buses and the bends it must negotiate in major areas,” he said.

Gautam said they discussed the routes with the transport entrepreneurs before okaying them for Sajha. “We initially agreed on the routes on various conditions like no additional buses for three years. And even if the buses had to be added, it should be with consent from the entrepreneurs,” said Gautam.

Sajha is also in

controversy with its buses entering the Tirbhuwan International Airport (TIA) premises. Due to security reasons, the buses may not be able to enter the airport any more. Despite the

controversies, Sajha Cooperative Manager Mahendra Pandey said the service is admired by the public and has public

support.

 

Posted on: 2013-04-19 08:26 

http://www.onlinekhabar.com/2013/04/61859/