KATHMANDU: Highway hotels and restaurants charging excessive prices or serving stale, unhygienic and low-quality food to passengers travelling on public transport will face strict action, the Department of Transport Management has said.
The department, under the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, issued special directives for public transport drivers, hotel operators and passengers following widespread complaints about poor hygiene, stale food, flies around food and overcharging at highway eateries.
Under the new directives, drivers of public passenger vehicles have been instructed to stop for meals and snacks, as far as possible, only at clean and hygienic hotels and restaurants displaying food hygiene stickers issued by the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control.
Department Director Maniram Bhusal said the concerned authorities were closely monitoring complaints of passengers falling ill after consuming low-quality food. Drivers and hotel operators found violating the rules will face strict action under existing laws.
The department has also urged passengers to report unhygienic or poor-quality food and overcharging immediately by contacting Nepal Police’s emergency helpline at 100, the nearest District Administration Office, District Police Office, District Traffic Police Office, or the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control and its offices.