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Pathao, Tootle to resume services from Tuesday
Ride-hailing service providers had discontinued operation after prohibitory orders were imposed on April 29.Krishana Prasain
Ride-hailing service providers Pathao and Tootle said on Monday they would resume operation from Tuesday.
As per the revised prohibitory orders in Kathmandu Valley, which will come into effect from Tuesday, private vehicles like car, jeep and van, including two-wheelers and taxis have been allowed to operate following the odd-even rules.
The ride-hailing service providers have said they would also resume operations abiding by the odd-even rule.
Sixit Bhatta, co-founder and CEO of Tootle, said that the company is all set to resume the operation from Tuesday.
Private vehicles like cars, jeep and van are allowed to ply with not more than four people while taxis have been allowed to operate by keeping not more than three passengers.
Two-wheelers are allowed to keep pillion riders.
Tootle has more than 50,000 riders which it calls Tootle partner and 400,000 customers as per the company’s website.
Senior Superintendent Janak Bhattarai, chief of Metropolitan Traffic Police Division, said that as the government has allowed private vehicles to operate, there will be no obstacle from traffic police.
“We will only check odd and even numbers of private vehicles,” said Bhattarai.
The ride-hailing service providers discontinued their service after the prohibitory orders were put in place from April 29 to check the spread of the coronavirus.
Surakchya Hamal, marketing manager of Pathao, said that the company was receiving more than 100 queries daily from riders and customers asking them when the company will resume services.
Pathao, which has 92,000 bike riders, was doing 60,000 trips daily before the lockdown was imposed, the company said.
The ride-hailing service providers said that the riders will need to follow the health safety protocols and service takers also need to follow the measures while taking the service.
Hamal said that the customer will be made aware through notifications in the app to wear a mask, sanitize hands and follow health protocols.
Bhatta said that there won’t be any changes in fares.
Due to cheaper rates compared to taxi fare, fast and easy to commute, ride-hailing services have gained much traction with nearly 2.5 million people in Kathmandu Valley downloading the app to request a ride.