Kathmandu, August 21

The government has formally launched the embossed number plates in the country from today.

In an inaugural ceremony organised by Department of Transport Management (DoTM) here today, Physical Infrastructure and Transport Minister Bir Bahadur Balayar introduced the new number plates.

On the occasion, Minister Balayar said that introduction of the new system will ensure that regulation and management of vehicles will be easier in the future. “We have introduced the technically advanced number plates today, and this will facilitate regulation and management of vehicles,”

he said.

Balayar also clarified that with introduction of embossed number plates, incidences of vehicle thefts and misuse will also be controlled. He also said that introduction of embossed number plates and smart driving licences are major systemic changes in the transportation sector of the country.

DoTM will instal embossed plates on government-owned vehicles in the first phase of implementation. Then the department will publish a notice regarding installing new system on the vehicles belonging to diplomatic agencies.

According to Rup Narayan Bhattarai, director general of DoTM, the office will initiate the process of installing new number plates for private vehicles in Bagmati zone after completing the installation on government- and diplomatic agencies-owned vehicles.

“We plan to replace all the manual number plates with embossed ones across the country within five years,” he said. “DoTM is dedicated to meet the set deadline and we are committed to provide the service within the timeframe.”

After facing public criticism that the government is providing embossed number plates to the vehicles as per the zone system, while the country is transforming to federal structure, Bhattarai clarified that the number plates can be changed in the future as per the federal structure and codes.

According to DoTM, the charge for the embossed number plates has been fixed at Rs 2,500 for motorbikes, Rs 3,200 for light four-wheelers and tractors, and Rs 3,600 for heavy vehicles.

DoTM will also instal a locking mechanism, which will ensure the number plates cannot be changed easily. This, according to officials, will go a long way in minimising theft and misuse of vehicles.