• Owners lack documents from dealers to verify the legality of their eco-friendly bikes

Kathmandu, April 7

Registration of e-scooters in the Valley has hit a snag after owners failed to produce necessary documents in relation to the legality of their eco-friendly bikes.

The Department of Transport Management had issued a public notice on March 14, calling all electric scooter owners in the Kathmandu Valley to get their two-wheelers registered at the Transport Management Office, Bagmati within 15 days. A few owners turned up for registration of their vehicles at the TMO, but in vain.

“They came to the TMO without documents from concerned e-scooter dealers to verify the legality of their vehicle. It is impossible to register any vehicle until the concerned dealers provide necessary documents. It is the dealers, not the owners who should register vehicles (two-wheeler or four-wheeler) at the office,” said Ishwor Raj Dahal, in-charge of two-wheeler registration section at the TMO.

He informed that the TMO was having a hard time registering e-scooters after the dealers did not come into contact. “Furthermore, some e-scooter owners said they bought during an expo and did not have documents necessary for registration,” he informed.

Dealers should produce customs payment receipt, name of customs office, customs declaration form, receipt number, date of import, receipt of customs transit, name of police office which permitted the entry and receipt of import permission for registration of any motor vehicle, including e-scooter.

“We are confident that the business community will cooperate with the government is taking initiatives to promote e-vehicles in the country,” he said.

Earlier, the DoTM had  warned dealers not to misguide customers by giving false information on taxation, registration and licensing while selling e-scooters. The existing laws and rules do not require registration or driving licence for e-moped with capacity below 350 watts, as they are designed to be operated by human power. Any e-bike with capacity of 350-1,200 watts is registered only in the zones other than Bagmati and riders need to obtain driving licence.

E-bikes of 350-1,200 watts are not registered in Bagmati zone, as they have limited-speed, are too week to climb steep roads and contribute only to traffic jams in the Valley. Only e-bikes above 1,200 watts are registered and allowed to run in the Valley.