Bagmati Province to Issue Temporary Smart Licenses Amid Printing Challenges

Due to relentless pressure from service users applying for smart driver's licenses, preparations are underway to distribute the licenses again for a trial period. The Transport Department, responsible for printing smart licenses, faced difficulties in meeting the increasing demand, prompting the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure of Bagmati Province to introduce temporary licenses with QR codes for a one-year period.

The current system reflects a demand for 1 million smart licenses in the transport department. However, the department's machines are unable to print smart licenses at the required pace, leading to the decision to initiate the trial period for license issuance once more.

The tender for purchasing mass printers to meet the smart license demand had been canceled four times. As a result, relevant transport offices have resorted to issuing licenses for the trial period.

Despite attempts to acquire mass printers, the procurement process has faced delays, with significant expenses being incurred for the purchase of smart cards.

A year ago, the Director General of Transport Department, Namraj Ghimire, had introduced the practice of providing temporary licenses within 15 days after passing the trial. However, the distribution of licenses for the trial period was discontinued when a new DG took charge.

Transport offices, consequently, stopped issuing licenses for an extended period. The lack of progress in the issuance of smart licenses has resulted in users facing inconvenience and delays in obtaining their licenses.

While the Federal Physical Infrastructure and Transport Minister has pledged to provide licenses within 15 days by Mangsir, the transport department's repeated attempts to call tenders for mass printers have been unsuccessful.

Once the implementation is complete, the distribution of licenses can resume during the trial period. However, the delay in license issuance has led service users to continue driving vehicles with revenue paid vouchers, even after passing the practical test. The situation highlights the need for efficient leadership and effective reforms in transportation services in Bagmati Province.