The meeting of Council of Ministers on Thursday decided to allow resumption of intra-district public transport service and within three districts in case of the Kathmandu Valley.

Minister for Finance, Communications and Information Technology and spokesperson for government, Dr Yuba Raj Khatiwada, confirmed that the public transport, including taxis, entrepreneurs will be allowed to resume their services by fulfilling all health safety measures.

Speaking at the weekly press meet organised to inform decisions of the Cabinet meeting, Dr Khatiwada informed that each taxi could carry only two passengers, and if passengers are of the same family, taxis can carry an extra person aged below five years.

Informing about the decisions made by the Cabinet, Minister Khatiwada said public transportation service could be resumed for short distances – intra-district for outside Kathmandu, and within three districts – Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur — in case of the Kathmandu Valley.

As per health standards set by the government for public transport service, passenger vehicles can carry passengers only up to 50 percent of their seat capacity, hand sanitizers must be made available at the entrance of public vehicles, all passengers must wear face mask, and drivers as well as assistants must put on gloves and face mask.

In case of public buses, passengers can be seated only in a single row.

It is, however, unclear how the government plans to monitor if the set rules are being implemented.

Minister Khatiwada also said that public buses could charge passengers 50 per cent additional fare than the normal charge until the set health measures are applicable.

Public transportation can resume from today if vehicle entrepreneurs agree to meet the health standards. Meanwhile, public transport entrepreneurs have scheduled a meeting for today to take a decision on the matter.