Nepal ride-hailing law fails to take off despite court orders
Summary
Nepal has struggled to implement a regulatory framework for ride-hailing services despite Supreme Court orders and growing sector importance in Kathmandu, with political delays and safety concerns persisting.
Key Points
- The Patan High Court ordered regulation of ride-hailing services in 2020, with the Supreme Court reiterating the need in 2023, but legislation remains stalled.
- Bagmati Province is drafting ride-hailing guidelines aligned with electric vehicle promotion, but political transitions have delayed progress.
- Gandaki Province briefly introduced regulations in 2023 but withdrew them after protests from public transport operators.
- Ride-hailing has grown rapidly in Nepal with over 200,000 riders, yet inconsistent pricing and safety issues remain due to lack of clear regulation.
