New Year's was a strike and so was the day after. Now there is the threat of more disruption, the only consolation is that this time there'll be chakka jams affecting the movement of vehicles and not full-scale bandhs. The chakka jams would begin 26 January, if the government fails to fulfil the 13-point demand put forth by the Federation of Nepalese Transport Entrepreneurs (FNTE). Here's a schedule of the FNTE's protest programme: A protest rally on 26 January, another protest rally "with vehicles" on 2 February, an hour-long chakka jam in Kathmandu Valley at 9 am on 7 February and another two-hour chakka-jam in the Valley from 3-5 pm on 11 February. If the demands are still not met, Phase Four of the protests will begin, FNTE says. This one would involve a day-long Valley-wide chakka jam on 16 February, a similar protest west of the Narayani River on 26 February and another one east of the Narayani, in Chitwan on 5 March. The following are the FNTE's demands:

Take back the government's decision to ban 20-year-old vehicles
Guarantee purity of petroleum products based on international standards
Stop foreign vehicles from commercial operations in Nepal
Stop running 'fake' Sajha buses (hired from private operators and run as Sajha)
Release impounded vehicles and drivers by taking their insurance policies as guarantee
Stop punching holes in driver licences (there's one for each major violation)
End irregularities in vehicle inspection
Stop import of new vehicles
Introduce competition in petroleum product imports
Stop sale of kerosene at the petrol pumps
Stop import of fake vehicle parts and lubricants
Provide industry-like facilities to transport entrepreneurs, and
Simplify double-triple taxation on motor vehicles