The agitating cabbies ended their protest in Pokhara on Friday after the taxi drivers agreed to use meters on their cabs. The agreement was reached in a meeting held with the agitating side at District Administration Office, Kaski.

The taxi operators resorted to the protest on Tuesday after police impounded 18 taxis following public complaint that they were being overcharged by cabbies and the latter refusing to operate on meter. On Wednesday, Pokhara Taxi Entrepreneurs Committee halted vehicular movement. On Thursday, all public vehicles expressed solidarity with the taxi-protest by not plying their vehicles on the road.

The talks among the stakeholders started at Kaski DAO on Thursday to end the protest. The dialogues reached logical conclusion on Friday with taxi drivers agreeing to operate on government-fixed fare in city area, a source attending the meeting said. The city area, however, has not been defined.

Also it was decided that on the permanent and pitch road, the fare would be adjusted as stated by Transport Management Department while on off-roads, Local Level Transport Management Committee to be chaired by Chief District Officer would recommend the fare to the centre.

“We have reached a decision to adjust the fare and resolve the problems arising at local level. We would recommend the fare and problems to the government,” said CDO Taranath Adhikari.

The meeting has also decided to release 18 taxis which were taken under control by the police on Tuesday.

The meeting was attended by CDO, Kaksi Police Chief, Transport Management Office, Office of Quality Control, Consumers Forum, Civil Society, Taxi Entrepreneurs Committee, Transportation Committees, Transportation Association, among others.

“Agreement has been reached to operate taxis on meters in entire Kaski district,” said Kaski Police Chief SP Ashok Singh, adding that the decision will be implemented.

Likewise, Kaski’s Consumers Forum district President Kapil Nath Koirala has termed the decision positive and stressed on its implementation.