Kathmandu: Different student organizations held a chakkajam or transport strike on roads in front of all the colleges in the Kathmandu Valley today, protesting against the recent hike in public transport fare and calling for student union elections.

The government had on March 6 raised the public transport fare by 10 per cent.

Students affiliated to the Nepal Students Union (NSU), the All Nepal National Free Students Union (ANNFSU) and the All Nepal National independent Students Union (ANNISU) obstructed traffic on the road in front of colleges for one hour since 9 this morning.

The students unions were also demanding holding of the Free Students Union elections under the Tribhuwan University. The student union elections have not taken place since the last four years.

NSU spokesman UP Lamichhane decried the hike in public transport fare, saying it was not scientific and that it would spur price hike in all sectors.

He demanded that the government withdraw this hike in transport fare immediately.

Lamichhane said the chakkajam was organised in front of colleges across the country today to pile pressure on the TU authorities to hold the student union elections at the earliest.

NSU is the student wing of the Nepali Congress, ANNFSU of the CPN-UML and the ANNISU of the CPN-Maoist.
-RSS