KATHMANDU: The Nepal Bureau of Standards and Metrology has expedited the installation of computer billing machines on the taxis being operated in Kathmandu Valley.

The Bureau had started this task on January 1 amidst complaints about cheating of commuters by taxi drivers.

So far, 2,000 cabs are equipped with printer machines, according to Bishwababu Pudasaini, the Bureau's Director General.

He said that such machines were fixed on more than 150 taxis just last week and the task was moving on a fast speed.

Installation of a billing machine costs between Rs 5,000 and Rs 8,000.

Meanwhile, an awareness programme has been launched by the Bureau to educate the public about demanding the bill and the taxi drivers about installing the machines.

Taxi drivers would be barred from plying the roads if they did not install billing machines on time, Pudasaini said.

There are around 10,000 taxis plying in the Kathmandu Valley.

The Bureau, according to Pudasaini, is aiming to complete the task of installing the machines on all taxis by August 2017.