Nepal's Transport Department Faces Backlog of 2.5 Million Driver's Licenses Amid Daily Demand of 5,000

 Kathmandu. Currently, there is a demand for 5,000 driver's licenses daily. According to the Department of Transport Management, 2.5 million service recipients who have already applied are still awaiting their licenses. 

The department is currently prioritizing those with urgent needs to provide licenses immediately, stated Director General of the Department, Rajeev Pokharel. According to him, about 600 people visit the department daily claiming emergency needs and licenses are being distributed in that proportion. 

After applying online or physically, the license data is sent to the Security Printing Press. From there, the license is printed and ready for distribution within 5 to 7 days, a system established by the department, informed Director General Pokharel. According to him, the department has adopted various measures to resolve the license issue. 

A system has been implemented where digital licenses can be shown via the Citizen App. Traffic police also recognize this digital license. If a traffic rule violation occurs, fines can be issued based on that license, and the penalty can also be paid online. The department states that this has eliminated the compulsion to carry the physical license or receipt. 

During the Gen-Z movement, approximately 250,000 licenses were destroyed in a fire at the department. However, Director General Pokharel mentioned that license printing is ongoing, and some service recipients have not yet come to collect their ready licenses. According to him, the department, being near the Parliament building, was at the epicenter of the agitation during the Gen-Z movement and sustained the most damage. 

Director General Pokharel informed that despite the department being completely damaged, the staff managed to revive about 6 million driving license data through their efforts. According to him, the license printing machine was destroyed in the fire during the Gen-Z movement. Since that machine could not be operated, an agreement has now been made with the Security Printing Press, Sanga, to proceed with license printing. 

According to the department, individuals requiring licenses for foreign employment or other emergency needs are being provided licenses on a priority basis after submitting an application to the department. The Security Printing Press has initiated the process to print and provide 1.2 million licenses in the first phase, and gradually everyone will receive their licenses, Pokharel stated. 

Director General Pokharel's view is that the license-related problem is not as severe as before due to the increased use of digital licenses.