KATHMANDU, June 1: Transport entrepreneurs have announced that all forms of public transportation across the country will be halted starting Monday.
In a joint statement issued on Sunday evening, organisations including the Federation of Public Transport, Nepal; National Federation of Nepal Transport Entrepreneurs; Transport Entrepreneurs Federation- Nepal; Nepal Independent Transport Workers' Organization and Nepal Transport Workers’ Union said they will pull all vehicles off the roads and launch a nationwide protest from June 2. They stated that they were compelled to take this step after the government failed to address their demands by the agreed deadline.
"From Monday onwards, all public transport vehicles—including buses, tempos, trucks, minibuses, jeeps and microbuses—will be suspended except in cases of extreme necessity," said Bharat Nepal, General Secretary of the Federation of Public Transport- Nepal.
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Among the entrepreneurs’ key demands is the immediate repeal of Section 2(j) of the newly introduced Private Vehicle Operation Regulations 2082 BS, which the Gandaki Province government published in its official gazette on May 5, 2025. They argue that this regulation, which allows the operation of private red-plate vehicles, contradicts Chapter 2, Section 8(2) and Section 12(1) of the Motor Vehicles Act 2049 BS and is inconsistent with federal law.
They are also calling for the immediate implementation of a Supreme Court order issued on April 2, 2024, which pertains to the renewal of transport associations and the return of assets under the Associations Registration Act 2034. Additionally, they are urging the government to implement, without further delay, the agreements reached in past negotiations with transport federations and labour unions, as well as the recommendations of government-formed task forces, particularly as the Motor Vehicles Act 2049 BS is currently under revision.
Other demands include the strict enforcement of freight weight limits for both domestic and foreign vehicles in accordance with Section 13 of the 2074 Directive on Freight Vehicle Load Regulation, and the mandatory implementation of a contribution-based Social Security Fund in the public transport sector. They are also demanding that the 2073 Insurance Tariff Directive be updated in line with current needs, and that an Accident Relief Fund be established to ensure timely compensation, rescue, and relief in the event of accidents.
Moreover, they have called for the introduction of a Freight Act that would make insurance of goods in transit compulsory, along with the establishment of a powerful and independent Transport Authority to make the sector better regulated, dignified, consumer-friendly, and technologically modern. They have further asked the government to revise what they describe as a discriminatory policy that currently allows passenger and freight vehicles from neighboring countries a 72-hour facility at Nepal’s customs checkpoints.
To kick off their protest, the transport entrepreneurs staged black-flags rallies in all six provinces on Sunday. According to General Secretary Nepal, following the strike announcement, around 700,000 vehicles nationwide will join the protest. The sector currently provides direct employment to 1.5 million people and indirect employment to an estimated 4 million.
