KATHMANDU: Public transport services across Nepal will remain halted on Tuesday after another round of talks between the government and transport operators ended without an agreement.

The discussion, held at the Ministry of Home Affairs, failed to resolve the ongoing dispute over new ride-sharing regulations introduced in Gandaki Province.

Transport entrepreneurs have been protesting against the guidelines that allow private vehicles with red license plates to operate like commercial ones, arguing that it creates unfair competition and undermines formal public transport services.

During the meeting, transport representatives proposed ending their protest if the government agreed to postpone the implementation of the regulation. However, the talks concluded without a clear decision.

The transport operators have also raised several other demands.

They are calling for the temporary suspension of the ride-sharing guidelines until a federal-level law is introduced.

Additional demands include enforcement of past agreements with transport workers and entrepreneurs, renewal of union registrations, release of frozen assets as per court orders, formation of a national transport regulatory authority, compulsory inclusion of transport workers in the social security fund, revision of fines imposed for freight overload without increasing load capacity, and removal of the 72-hour permit system for foreign vehicles entering Nepal.

Although officials described the talks as constructive, no final decision was reached.

Another meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday morning, but until a resolution is found, public transportation across the country will remain disrupted.