What is syndicate? We don’t know syndicate, says FNNTE vice chair Swar

KATHMANDU, April 18: Bijaya Bahadur Swar, vice-chairman of the Federation of Nepalese National Transport Entrepreneurs (FNNTE) has accused the government of tagging the transport entrepreneurs of enforcing transport syndicate across the country.

The government, in a bold to move against the organized transport syndicates, Tuesday decided not to renew registration of associations of transport entrepreneurs and stop new registrations.

The government’s move comes in response to FNNTE’s, an umbrella body of transport entrepreneurs, announcement of enforcing public transport strike across the country from May 3 as protest against the government’s move to open route permits on all roads across the country.

But the government has pledged to end transport monopoly after the eleven committees of public vehicles operators obstructed Mayur Yatayat from plying the Araniko Highway earlier this month. The committees have demanded the Department of Transport Management scrap the route permit issued to Mayur Yatayat, which is running 24 new buses with additional facilities for passengers.

The government also decided to seize public vehicles and run them with the help of security force to foil the strike. The government has also warned to scrap the registration of transport companies if they go violate the directives and take to streets.

“What is syndicate? We don’t know syndicate,” Swar told Reporters’ Club Nepal.

“The government, without trying to understand about the public transport system, has accused the transport entrepreneurs of enforcing transport monopoly,” he added.

“We haven’t done anything less in providing quality service to public. But it is sad to hear that the government has taken us in a totally negative way. For the government, now, we are like criminals, corrupt and gangsters.”

He also said that they were ready to hold talks with the government to bring positive changes.