A total of 900 taxis have been installed with the electronic billing system over the past two months.

Issuing a directive on January 1, National Bureau of Standards and Metrology (NBSM) has asked all taxi operators in the Valley to have the system installed by July 22.

NBSM Director General Bishwo Babu Pudasaini said 900 cabs have been equipped with the billing system as of Wednesday. “Although the number had to be more by this time, some cab operators seem reluctant to abide by the rule,” he said.

Under the system, taxis need to provide passengers with a receipt with details of the distance travelled, the fare and the taxi registration number at the end of their journey. “However, we have learned many of those who have received the billing device are not providing receipts to passengers,” said Pudasaini, adding they will soon start market inspection.

Enforcing the provision, the government aims at checking cases of taxi drivers misbehaving with passengers or overcharging them by tampering with metres.

Especially, taxi drivers have been found overcharging passengers boarding from locations such as hospitals, bus parks and airports where travellers have no choice but to hail a taxi. 

There are an estimated 10,000 taxis in the Valley.