Kathmandu, October 20 The government has ordered Sajha Yatayat to temporarily halt the process to purchase 300 electric buses. Though Kanak Mani Dixit, chairperson of Sajha Yatayat, confirmed that the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport (MoPIT) had sent a letter asking Sajha to temporarily halt the electric bus purchasing process, MoPIT officials were reluctant to disclose the reason behind halting the procurement process of the buses. However, a MoPIT official, seeking anonymity said that the procurement process was halted as Sajha Yatayat had been delaying the process to purchase the necessary buses. Meanwhile, MoPIT has also summoned Sajha officials to discuss about the electric bus procurement issue. Sajha officials informed that it was preparing necessary tender documents to start the bus procurement process as soon as possible. With the objective of promoting electric vehicles for public transportation, the government in July had provided Rs three billion to Sajha Yatayat for procuring 300 electric buses. The government had asked Sajha Yatayat to purchase these buses within mid-November. However, Sajha had been saying that to procure 300 electric buses from India and China without government-to-government agreement within mid-November was not possible. Against this backdrop, the government has halted the procurement process of the electric buses.