Kathmandu, May 26:

Six years ago, a mega project was initiated with the aim of computerising all 12 offices of the Department of Transport Management.

The 10-million-rupee project was supposed to see the light of the day last year.

Experts on transportation accuse transport officers of showing reluctance to adopt a computerised system because all illegal activities will come to an end once the system is introduced. DoTM officers, on the other hand, say that fund shortage, shortage of manpower and faulty softwares are to blame for the delay in the execution of the project.

Transport officers had claimed that all offices will be computerised in 2006.

Two components of the project — Vehicles Registration System (VRS) and Driving Licence Registration System (DLRS) — have not been set up yet.

“Networking of the system throughout the 12 zonal offices of the DoTM is still a distant dream,” says Harish Bhatta, computer officer at the Bagmati Transport Office of the DoTM.

Staffers of the Everest Net Pvt Ltd (ENPL) updated their software as the first version was not fully compatible with the system. This happened because the “data fed into the system earlier was misplaced and it took time to transfer data to the new system.”

The ENPL is completing its work some two years later than the stipulated time.

On the other hand, Himanchal Gautam of the ENPL denied that data were misplaced. We are verifying data, which was very much difficult to decipher because of bad handwriting and worse condition of files. Some 22 people are working to verify data, which they fed into

the system one-and-a-half-years ago.

“As we experienced problems in reporting, we developed version II of the VRS. It is working properly now,” he said, adding that all work will be completed within next 45 days.

The first version of the VRS was first developed six years ago.

The Softech Infosys Pvt Ltd had entered data of the DLRS. The read-only programme has problems because many licences having a single number were issued. Bhatta said the DoTM is preparing to adopt a smart card system for licences. A new software will be developed in the next fiscal year for the entry of driving licences.