Kathmandu, May 26
At the call of transporters, public vehicles have remained off the road throughout the country since Thursday morning. Their transport strike is said to be against Traffic Police’s decision to increase fines for traffic rule violations. But one of the strike organisers told Onlinekhabar that they are not against the hike.
Excerpts from the interview with Bhim Jwala Rai, general secretary of the Free Transport Workers’ Organisation:
What is the reason behind this strike? Are you saying traffic rule violators should go scot-free? Are you against imposing fine against violations?
This is not our demand and I want to refute this on behalf of the organisers. We are not saying there should be anarchy on the road. We are not against disciplining transport workers.
Why are you enforcing this strike then?
They (traffic police) hiked fines for traffic rule violations. Fine. But the state has been imposing fine without focusing on development of physical infrastructure. It has not bothered to repair roads, it has not allocated space for parking. The state cannot offer an answer when we ask it to show us the bus stop. All that it is doing is collecting fine.
At present, the roads are in bad shape. Road traffic accidents have increased, instances of traffic rule violations have increased. But increasing fine for violations is not enough. Hike in fine is no big issue for us. But there should be investment in development of physical infrastructure like roads.
The state should designate bus stops. It is not doing this. Collecting fine from transport workers is all that the state is doing. Let me tell you this: We are workers’ representatives. We are not saying that workers should not follow the rules.
Does it mean transport workers are not against the increase in fine?
We are not against increasing fine. But there’s a need to develop physical infrastructure.
Moreover, traffic police have three provisions regarding the fine. As per the provisions, rule violators will have to pay Rs 500, 1,000 or Rs 1,500 in fine (depending on the degree of the offence). But the provision governing the highest amount of fine has 18 clauses, unlike other provisions, which are shorter. The first point states that in case of violation of traffic signals or signs, the offender has to pay Rs 1,500 in fine. What does it mean?
Do drivers not even know what these signs and signals are?
What we are saying is this: Let’s develop a traffic system. Let’s install traffic lights. Please bear this in mind: Traffic Police has unilaterally hiked the fine, lured by 15 per cent commission that police personnel on duty get for issuing ticket to traffic rule violators.
Traffic Police should approach the government if it’s personnel are not getting enough salary. It should not seek to augment earning by increasing fine for traffic rule violations, at the expense of transport workers and entrepreneurs.
In that case, you could have staged a movement demanding bus stop and parking arrangements. Why did you launch a strike against the hike in fine?
We have been demanding bus stops and parking arrangements. Traffic Police hiked the fine without bothering to take us into confidence. It bypassed us in the whole process. Our stress is on development of physical infrastructure.
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