Vehicular movement on the Arughat-Gorkha Bazaar road has come to a complete halt for the past week due to a dispute between Transportation Entrepreneurs Association and Arughat Yatayat Pvt Ltd.

The dispute ensued after the syndicate barred Arughat Yatayat from running busses on the route.

Political parties meant to solve local disputes through coordination are instead in favour of the syndicate system, the company said, accusing local political leaders of attempting to legalise the syndicate system. “Despite the laws allowing the company to operate, the leaders threatened to stop operations,” the company’s secretary Hukum Khadka said.

Arughat Yatayat’s attempts to operate buses on the route have failed for the last six months.

Gorkha Yatayat Committee, is also accused of encouraging syndicate system. Members of four parties operate vehicles under Gorkha Yatayat Committee formed through political apportion. “Syndicate in transportation sector exists because of political protection,” said Chief District Officer Narayan Bhatta. 

Locals have complained about growing hooliganism and brawls due to the syndicate disputes. Youths of conflicting-groups threaten each other and vandalise busses in their stronghold areas, causing tooubles to the travellers.

Both groups have mobilised youths to obstruct vehicles on the route, sources said. Local goons are hired for vandalism purposes, the police added.

“The committee has been pressuring us to merge with it and operate,” said Tara Bahadur Khadka, advisor to Arughat Yatayat. “Political parties and the administration has joined hands to ensure continuity of the syndicate system,” he said.   

The leaders of civil society and human rights activists recently submitted a memorandum to the CDO demanding an end to the syndicate system. “Although the political parties agree the need to end the system, they don’t want it to stop. Political protection has helped the syndicate grow, CDO Bhatta said.