Government's misconduct: Collecting fees but not providing embossed number plates

Pokhara, October 7 — The government has made embossed number plates mandatory for all newly registered vehicles. Vehicles will not be registered until the specified fee for the embossed number plates is paid. The Transport Management Office in Kaski has collected the fees for the embossed plates from newly registered vehicles, but has yet to provide the plates.

In the fiscal year 2023/24, a total of 10,191 vehicles were registered at the office, including 8,620 motorcycles, 1,149 small vehicles, and 422 large vehicles. According to the office, the fees collected are NPR 2,500 for motorcycles, NPR 3,200 for small vehicles, and NPR 3,600 for large vehicles.

A total of NPR 26,746,000 has been collected for embossed number plates. Consumers who paid for the embossed plates are still forced to use ordinary plates after one year. "Consumers are reluctant to pay for the embossed plates. We are collecting it by force," said Ashok Gautam, the acting chief of the office. "We have written to the department many times to provide the plates, but they have not done so. What can we give? We cannot provide plates or answers to consumers."

In addition, 528 electric vehicles were registered last year. The office informed that 90 scooters, 370 cars, 13 pickup vans, and 55 microbuses were registered. A written request was sent to the department on April 25 to make the embossed number plates available. "Over 107 government four-wheelers, 212 two-wheelers, and more than 95 hired four-wheelers have paid the revenue amount and are waiting for plates, so we request that additional plates be made available soon," the letter sent to the department states.

Another letter was sent on September 17 requesting the number plates. Gautam informed that a request was also made on March 31 for number plates. "We have sent many letters but received no response," he said. "After not receiving a response to the letter sent in March, another letter was sent in September."

According to the department's notice, a separate fee is collected for the installation of embossed number plates during new vehicle registration and name transfer. "The inability to provide number plates has created additional problems. Therefore, the requested number plates must be made available immediately," Gautam added. "Since we are unable to provide the current plates, we are uncertain about whether to continue collecting fees for the plates."

So far, 6,467 plates have been received for vehicles registered in Gandaki. Among these, 5,482 have been installed, leaving 947 still to be installed. A total of 318,372 vehicles have been registered in Gandaki Province to date.

Of these, 249,438 are motorcycles, while 20,817 are cars, jeeps, and vans, and 10,846 are buses, minibuses, and mini trucks. Additionally, 14,513 microbuses, 12,212 tractors and power tillers, 7,089 cranes, dozers, excavators, and trucks, 3,410 pickup vans, and 47 tempos have been registered.

According to the Transport Management Office in Kaski, registration for electric vehicles has been ongoing since the fiscal year 2018/19, with 990 electric vehicles registered to date, including 373 motorcycles and scooters and the most numerous, 549 cars. There are also 13 pickup vans and 55 micros registered.