Kathmandu: A small number of vehicles having embossed registration plates on a daily basis has indicated a failure to meet the deadline to install embossed number plates on all vehicles in the country.
Only less than two percent of vehicles have got the embossed registration plates so far when it remains 11 months to expire the deadline (16 December, 20230), said the Department of Transport Management.
Installing the number plates is expected to reduce the stealing of vehicles, revenue evasion and criminal activities.
Despite a brief halt due to protests from various quarters and legal difficulties, installing the number plates is ongoing, but at a slow pace, said the Department’s Spokesperson Ishwori Datta Paneru, adding that so far, the number plates have been installed on only 35,000 vehicles across the country.
According to a legal provision, vehicles can voluntarily get the embossed registration plates. The government aims to install the number plates on 2.5 million vehicles in a period of five years.
But, legal and language problems have made the matter worse. A lawsuit has been filed in the court demanding the language on the number plates should be in Nepali.
Earlier two years ago, the court had delivered a verdict that allowed the use of also English language.
The deadline was extended for two more years after its expiry over seven months ago.
On 30 May, 2016, the Department signed an agreement with the Tiger IT (The Corporation) to supply and install the number plates. An international bid was announced for the purchase of the number plates.
For digitally monitoring the embossed number plate-fitted vehicles, infrastructures will be constructed at 10 various places across the country including in the Kathmandu Valley (Nagdhunga, Jagati, Nagarjun, Pharping and Jorpati in the Kathmandu Valley, and Itahari, Pathalaiya, Butwal, Kohalpur and Attariya outside).
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