Baglung, Sept. 18 -- Passengers travelling between Kharbang in Badigad and Baglung Bazaar, the district headquarters, along the Mid-hill Highway are forced to pay anywhere between Rs600 and Rs700 one way-much higher than the fare ceiling fixed by the government.

Although 65-km stretch out of the 90 km highway has already been blacktopped, locals say the transport entrepreneurs have been charging fares as they would on rural roads.

Harka Bahadur Kumal of Badigad, who frequently commutes between Kharbang and Baglung Bazaar, said that he has been paying Rs700 one way. "We pay what is asked of us because if we don't, then the conductors become unruly and misbehave with us."

According to the Department of Transport Management, transport ent...