KATHMANDU: Its time people got ready for electronic licences and blue books and machine-made number plates.

The Department of Transport Management (DoTM) has come up with a plan, which when implemented will make it mandatory for all motorists and vehicle owners to get electronic

licences, blue books and machine-made number plates. The plan is expected to go operational within the next six months.

“The Cabinet has passed the plan and it is

in the process of implementing it,” said Purba Chandra Bhattarai, the DoTM spokesperson.

“Metropolitan Traffic Police Division (MTPD) is solidly with us to make this plan a success”, Bhattarai added. “This smart card as we named will be like an ATM card, with electronic layer attached to every license and

blue book,” said DoTM Engineer Harish Bhatta. “Our electronic reader will read the smart cards and within a second the machine will find out whether it is original or fake,” he said, adding that the electronic reader will be provided to traffic cops on duty.

Bhatta added, “We’ll let everyone know the nitty-gritty of the plan once it is given a final shape.”

As per the plan, people will have to submit their old licences, blue books and number plates to the DoTM and collect the new (electronic) ones.

“The number plates made by machines will be issued from Singha Durbar,” according to Bhatta.

The move follows rampant cases of duplicate number plates and fraud in licences. The machines which make these number plates are very expensive and hardly anyone can afford to duplicate the number plates, licences and blue books, Bhatta added.

The plan is also to curb the growing incidents of vehicle theft. Once implemented, the plan will make it easier to trace vehicles causing pollution and stolen vehicles with the aid of machine-readable electronic number plates, smart licences and blue books.

“This system will totally help the cops to chase culprits,” said Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIGP) Binod Singh, MTPD. “This plan will curb 95 per cent of crimes related to vehicles,” he added.