Kathmandu, February 8

Though the country has adopted the federal system of governance, the local government will not be given the responsibility of distributing driving licences, thereby compelling service-seekers to come to offices of the provincial governments to get the vehicle riding permit.

Department of Transport Management (DoTM) has proposed that the authority to look into issues regarding issuance of vehicle licences, holding driving trials, collecting vehicle taxes and vehicle registration to be provided to provincial level governments in the draft of Transport Management Act, which DoTM officials expect to be endorsed soon.

DoTM has cited lack of resources at the local level for holding driving trials and issuing licences for authorising these tasks to the provincial governments.

“Of the 753 local units in the country, very few have the infrastructure and other resources required to conduct driving trials and issue motor licences. Thus, such technical responsibilities should go to the provincial level,” said Rupnarayan Bhattarai, director general of DoTM.

As per him, the provincial governments will establish transport offices as required in different places to deal with taking vehicle trials and issuing licences.

Currently, DoTM has been issuing vehicle driving licences at the zonal level. Bhattarai said different zonal offices of DoTM can be turned into provincial offices to deal with the concerned issues on the basis of appropriate location of these offices.

However, Bhattarai is of the point that the provincial government should set up transport service offices in different districts to facilitate vehicle licence distribution system, carry out vehicle registration and collect vehicle taxes.