Public bus service resumed after more than five months in Gaur of Rautahat and Malangawa of Sarlahi on Wednesday.

Bus transportation service providers in the two districts had halted the operation due to the obstruction caused by the agitating Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha (SLMM). The service was further hit by the fuel shortage caused due to the restrictions on cargo movement between Nepal and India.

The bus service resumed after the SLMM lifted its obstruction, said Lal Babu Giri, chairman of Rautahat Bus Operators’ Association.

Local SLMM leader Ajaya Gupta said they decided to let the public transports ply the streets considering the hardship faced by the people as well as the transportation service operators. Ram Thapa, a bus service operator in Gaur, said the public transportation sector faced a huge loss in the last five months.

In Malangawa, the district headquarters of Sarlahi, buses resumed service on Wednesday, though the district remains under a banda enforced by the SLMM.

The SLMM has not announced its decision to allow the operation of public vehicles in Sarlahi like in Gaur, the district headquarters of Rautahat. Public transportation service resumed in Gaur with the consent of Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum Nepal, another alliance of Madhes-centric parties protesting in the Tarai.

Local SSFN leader Ashok Yadav said they decided to allow the public vehicles ply without obstructions because the people were compelled to pay up to Rs 500 just to make a journey of 25 km.