Transport syndicate enforcers have halted public transportation on the Tulsipur-Rukum highway from Saturday in a bid to keep out competition and maintain their monopoly on the route. They erected obstructions on the road and prevented vehicles from operating which has affected not only travellers but also daily life in Dang, Salyan, Rolpa, Rukum and Pyuthan districts in western Nepal. Syndicate enforcers obstructed public vehicles in protest after Malika Kalika Yatayat started services on the Tulsipur-Rukum route. They closed the highway after three of the protestors were injured in a clash with the police on Saturday. Following the incident, the Nepal Transport Entrepreneurs’ National Fede-ration based in Rapti launched the protest on the highway. The protestors have demanded action is taken against the police officers responsible for the injuries. Bharatnath Yogi, the coordinator of the federation, said they had imposed an indefinite restriction on the movement of all types of vehicles except those used to transport essentials. Meanwhile, the Tulsipur Chamber of Commerce has called for a market closure to support the move by the agitating transporters. As a result, most traders in Tulsipur and surrounding areas closed their business outlets. Malika Kalika Yatayat has been operating deluxe bus services on the Dang-Kathmandu route for the last few months. The company recently received a permit from the authorities to operate services on the Dang-Rukum route. Till then, transporters associated with Rapti Samiti had a monopoly on the route. On Saturday, the District Administration Office, Dang formed a nine-member committee including representatives from the Traffic Police, Tulsipur Municipality, District Chamber of Commerce and transport companies in a bid to resolve the transporters’ issue. The panel has been tasked to come up with a solution within a week. Dang Chief District Officer Deepak Kafle said transporters had agreed to sort out the problem without obstructing the highway. “However, they have failed to keep their promise,” said Kafle, adding that action would be taken against those obstructing the highway. Nine passenger bus unions and five truck unions have been operating services in Rapti zone. Among them, four-passenger bus unions and five truck unions have a monopoly on the Dang route. The transportation syndicate system has been enforced intermittently, hitting people’s movement and business activities. Under this system which has been declared illegal, buses and trucks operate on a rotating basis and customers are not allowed to choose the company they want. The government has pledged to end the syndicate system, but this has not happened. Recently, syndicate enforcers in Arughat, Gorkha had also prevented vehicles from plying the route. They vandalised the vehicles of the new company that was scheduled to launch its service. Transporters agree to end syndicate system MUSTANG: Public transport service providers operating on the Pokhara-Jomsom highway have agreed not to enforce the syndicate system. The operators of 149 public buses and jeeps expressed the commitment before the local administration. Earlier, the transporters had barred private vehicles and tourists buses from operating on the Ghasa-Jomsom road segment, forcing travellers to use only the vehicles operated by the transporters’ unions. The transporters’ have also agreed to end the syndicate system on the Jomsom-Lomanthang (100 km) road that connect 16s VDCs. With the latest development, the movement of private vehicles and tourist arrivals have increased in the region.