• Prospective buyers losing on festive discounts, sellers their customers

Kathmandu, October 3

Registration of two-wheelers has been halted in Bagmati zone since Tuesday, as no more two-wheelers can be registered in the two-digit lot and there is no provision to register two-wheelers in the three-digit lot under the existing transport guideline.

As the existing transport guideline has the registration provision for only double-digit lot vehicles, the Department of Transport Management had made necessary amendments to the guideline and submitted it to the Cabinet for approval more than a month ago. However, the Cabinet’s delay in making timely decision has affected registration of two-wheelers in the Bagmati zone, which is a major market for vehicles.

The Cabinet meeting has not been held since Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli left for a two-week visit to New York on September 18 to attend the 73rd United Nations General Assembly. He is scheduled to return tomorrow.

“We had sent amended guideline to the Cabinet more than a month ago. As the amendment, which has provisions for registration of three-digit lot vehicles, is yet to be approved and maximum number of vehicles under the two-digit lot have already been registered in Bagmati, registration of two-wheelers has been halted,” Lawanya Kumar Dhakal, director general of DoTM, told this correspondent.

Dhakal added that the Cabinet was likely to endorse the amendment to the guideline next week.

The halt in registration will not only affect those planning to purchase new two-wheelers during the festive season with dealers having announced discounts and schemes, but will also adversely hit the business of two-wheelers in Bagmati zone.

Bagmati zone, especially Kathmandu valley, is a major market for two-wheelers. According to dealers, more than 35 per cent of imported two-wheelers are sold in the zone.

“Lack of seriousness on the government’s part in approving the related guideline has resulted in a crisis for the two-wheeler industry,” said Shekhar Golchha, former president of Nepal Automobile Dealers’ Association.

The month prior to the onset of Dashain is regarded as the best season for automobile business, as consumers go on a spending spree. Sale of two-wheelers during this one-month period, as per dealers, amounts to the average sale of more than three months during normal time.

Bagmati zone comprises Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Lalitpur, Dhading, Kavrepalanchowk, Nuwakot, Rasuwa and Sindhupalchowk.