Kathmandu, January 1:

The first meeting of the High-Level Committee to Improve Vehicles and Transport Management held here recently expressed concern over the rumour spread by the vehicle dealers that the committee would ban import of the new vehicles.

The meeting held here on Friday has also decided to collect suggestions about the mandate from its members.

“The vehicle dealers have spread a rumour that the newly formed committee would stop importing new vehicles,” Manju Khand, the convener of the committee told this daily today. She said the first meeting of the committee formed with the cabinet decision of September 18 has decided to clarify that the rumour spread in the country was baseless.

“We have decided to come up with necessary suggestions on the commission mandate in our next meeting,” Khand added.

Government has mandated the committee to draft the policy of vehicles and transport management, study the necessity and significance of National Transport Development Board, review and study existing laws and acts of vehicles and transport, classify the existing roads and vehicles, manage parking areas for buses and trucks in the urban areas, formulate scientific method to fix the fares of public vehicles and modernise existing number plates, licenses and vehicle registration certificates.

According to Khand, the government has already released three-month budget for the committee.

The six experts nominated by the Ministry of Labour and Transport Management (MoLTM) include Jayananda Paneru an entrepreneur of Mahendra Nagar, Kanchanpur, Khagendra Prasad Nepal of Lalitpur Sub Metropolitan City, Shree Prasad Mainali of Jhapa, Ramesh Giri of Putalibazar, Syangja and Sudarshan Sigdel of Gokarna while one member would be nominated later.

Convener Manju Khand said the committee comprised 25 members, including Deputy Inspector General of Police who looks after traffic, Director General of Department of Roads, joint secretaries of MoLTM, Home ministry, Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology, Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs and Ministry of Local Development. Besides, representatives of Nepal Federation of Transport Entrepreneurs, Consumers’ Forum, executive director of Sajha Yatayat, Truck, Tanker and Transport Federation, Nepal Trade Union Federation, Nepal Trade Union Congress, Democratic Confederation of National Trade Union are the members of the committee. While director general of the Department of Transport Management is the member secretary of the committee.