In cracking down on ride-sharing mobile apps, Nepal Government sides with taxi operators, Conflicts between ICT startups and authorities have taken place around the globe.
IT companies like Tootle and Pathao have received a massive response to their current success in Nepal. The people who register as the riders will get ride requests from other people looking to travel at the same time. This platform has been a great alternative to the hectic traffic during office times and provides a cheaper way to go as compared to taxis.
However, 3 Pathao riders were arrested by the Traffic Police at Durbarmarg. They were fined Rs.1000, and the bikes are on hold. The traffic stated that they were detained because motorcycles and scooters registered as private aren’t allowed to be used as public vehicles.
This huge step by the government is being considered as unreasonable by many people. So many users that use the services of Tootle and Pathao have furiously reflected their feeling towards this action. The people.
The law of Nepal states that the vehicles registered as private aren’t allowed to be used as vehicles. However, companies like Tootle and Pathao are setting an excellent alternative for the public by giving them an extra option to travel. So instead of trying to shut down such trend-setting companies, the government needs to formulate laws and try to make a better environment where similar companies can prosper in a managed way.
The idea of sharing a ride isn’t new to the world, so if Nepal wants to become a global country and wants to develop it’s rooted technically, then these companies should be provided a better environment to operate.
The government shouldn’t take any rash decisions without considering the status quo of Nepal. The future consequences and the massive number of users linked to Tootle and Pathao should be considered before taking any further action. Since these companies provide a great way to manage the traffic rush, they need to be motivated to move ahead. The users of these services have also shown their support against the action of the government. Hopefully, the government will look at this case seriously and come up with a better solution where companies like Tootle and Pathao are motivated to do better.
