Nepal Ride-Sharing Crisis: Kathmandu Admin Monitors Indrive & Pathao for Excessive Fares (Monsoon Alert)
4th October 2025, Kathmandu
The Kathmandu District Administration Office (DAO) has stepped up its oversight of major ride-sharing platforms, including Indrive, Pathao, and Yanggu, following a surge in public complaints regarding excessive and exploitative fare hiking amidst the ongoing monsoon disaster.
Nepal Ride-Sharing Crisis Kathmandu
This strict surveillance comes as heavy rainfall continues to cause traffic disruptions, floods, and landslides across the Kathmandu Valley, creating conditions where some drivers are allegedly taking advantage of desperate commuters.
DAO Issues Firm Warning: Exploitation is Unacceptable
The DAO Kathmandu, through a public notice signed by Administrative Officer Sujan Kumari Bardewa, confirmed that it has received numerous grievances about ride-sharing service providers charging significantly inflated fares from passengers.
The administration’s core message is clear: Exploiting a public crisis for financial gain is a serious offense.
“Complaints have been received that ride-sharing service providers are charging exorbitant fares from passengers during the current monsoon-induced crisis… Acts of fraud in the name of essential services are unacceptable,” the DAO notice stated.
Why the Sudden Scrutiny on Ride-Sharing?
The monsoon season frequently disrupts public transport, increasing reliance on bike and car ride-sharing services like Pathao and Indrive. However, this high demand, particularly when roads are blocked or conditions are dangerous, has led to a major issue of fare gouging and offline bargaining, where drivers demand unrecorded, higher payments.
The DAO’s action is a direct response to protect consumers from these unscrupulous practices, ensuring that essential travel remains fair and accessible, especially for those who rely on these services in an emergency.
Strict Legal Action Promised
The DAO has explicitly warned that any individual or ride-sharing company found to be overcharging passengers will face strict legal action under prevailing consumer protection and transport laws.
This move marks a commitment by the administration to enforce fair pricing and curb fraudulent behavior during a time of national difficulty.
How to Report Fare Gouging to Kathmandu DAO
The Kathmandu District Administration Office is urging affected passengers to come forward and assist in the crackdown. If you have been charged an excessive fare by an Indrive, Pathao, or Yanggu rider, you can file a complaint with the necessary evidence.
Action Point Detail
Gather Evidence Take a screenshot of the fare displayed on the app (if applicable), save the ride receipt, or note the vehicle’s license plate number and the exact location/time of the incident.
File a Complaint Present the gathered evidence to the Kathmandu District Administration Office (DAO).
Enforcement The DAO will use this evidence to initiate legal proceedings against the offending rider or company.
Export to Sheets
The administration emphasizes that public cooperation is essential to holding these exploiters accountable and ensuring commuter safety and fairness across the Kathmandu Valley.
Conclusion and ICTFRAME’s Call to Action
The decisive action by the Kathmandu District Administration Office (DAO) to place Indrive, Pathao, and Yanggu under surveillance marks a critical and necessary step to halt the rampant fare gouging that is deepening the Nepal Ride-Sharing Crisis during the monsoon. While ride-sharing has become an essential service—a digital lifeline for commuters struggling with public transport the widespread reports of Pathao overcharging and competitive pricing exploitation on platforms like Indrive threaten the industry’s credibility and harm vulnerable citizens.
ICTFRAME views this as an urgent moment of responsibility for the ride-sharing operators themselves. The legal vacuum that has long plagued this sector is no excuse for predatory pricing. We urge these companies to actively and seriously monitor and regulate these cases among your riders. It is your immediate and paramount responsibility during this crisis period to:
Enforce Transparent Fares: Implement immediate measures to stabilize dynamic pricing models and eliminate offline bargaining.
Strict Rider Accountability: Take swift and severe action—including permanent suspension—against riders caught exploiting the disaster with excessive charges.
Support Public Reporting: Streamline in-app complaint mechanisms to make it easier for passengers to report fraud with evidence.
The long-term success of the digital transport economy hinges on public trust. By prioritizing ethical operations and consumer safety now, these platforms can secure their future and solidify their role as a solution, not a source of crisis. The government has taken the lead; now the industry must follow with genuine commitment.
For more: Nepal Ride-Sharing Crisis Kathmandu
