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Transport strike hits normal life in Mahottari, Bara
The country-wide indefinite protest launched by drivers against the recent amendments to the Motor Vehicle and Transport Management Act disrupted vehicular movement along the East-West Highway, Postal Highway and BP Highway on Wednesday.The country-wide indefinite protest launched by drivers against the recent amendments to the Motor Vehicle and Transport Management Act disrupted vehicular movement along the East-West Highway, Postal Highway and BP Highway on Wednesday. Drivers halted their services from Tuesday citing that the amendments made to the Act are not driver friendly.
The protest hit normal life in Mahottari and Bara districts. Dilli Prasad Mainali, chief of the District Traffic Office in Bardibas, said very few vehicles were seen on the roads on Wednesday.
Jaleshwor Customs Office said daily imports from India have been affected by the driver’s protest. Keshav Bhandari, chief of the Custom’s office, said there’s a shortage of daily essentials in Mahottari bazaar due to the vehicular obstruction.
People in Hetauda, Jitpur and Birgunj were compelled to walk for a whole day to reach their destinations as there were no public vehicles plying the road.
“I came all the way from Tandi to Hetauda on foot, only to find that there are no vehicles going out. I dont know how I am supposed to reach Birgunj,” said BK Prasad Yadav, one of the many stranded by the protest.
Residents of Bara shared a similar story as public vehicles did not ply the roads on Wednesday.
The drivers also staged demonstrations from Simara to Amlekhganj, demanding the government to amend the act.
Meanwhile, Dilip Sah, treasurer of Janakpur Zonal Driver’s Welfare Association, said they are compelled to stage protest for the drivers’ welfare. With the new amendments to the Act, drivers will now be held largely accountable if any accidents occur on the road.
“Sometimes, the pedestrians are at fault as they tend to cross roads haphazardly. The dilapidated state of roads also causes a lot of accidents. It is unfair to solely blame the drivers,” said Sah.
One held in Dhading
DHADING: Police arrested a man who tried to obstruct the vehicular movement in Dhadingbesi on Wednesday. Prakash Simkhada, a member of the driver’s group, was arrested after he tried to obstruct the public vehicles from plying the road. Police also resorted to baton charge after drivers tried to block the road at Jugekhola in Thakre along the Prithvi Highway.