Due to lack of necessary infrastructure for the purpose, GTMO has stopped issuing driving licenses since three months now. Baburam Lamichhane, liaison officer at GTMO, informed that the office stopped issuing licenses three month ago as it does not have the ground space and necessary infrastructure for conducting the practical tests necessary for issuing driving licenses. [break]
“A new method of doing the practical test for driving license has come into force. We don´t have the space and infrastructure for conducting driving trials under that method,” Lamichhane said. He also informed that the office lacked the budget necessary for developing a trial venue.
GTMO had been issuing 1,500 driving licenses a month. But now license aspirants are forced to go to the capital for the purpose. “We need 13 ropani of land to develop a trial ground for all kinds of driving tests but we have only one and half ropani,” he informed.
According to Lamichhane, the Transport Management Department had directed it to lease a plot of land for the purpose with the rent not exceeding Rs 100,000 a year. “Thirteen ropani of land in Pokhara cannot be found for just Rs 100,000 rent and we cannot go against the department´s directive and pay more,” he said.
The department had issued directives across the country in January for a new trial method for driving licenses. Lamichhane further informed that the newly introduced method required more space than before.
“We are unable to find space to run driving trails as the new method for the purpose requires more space,” Lamichhane said. He also informed that the office has requested the department for permission to conduct motorbike license trials in the space that GTMO has at present.
“We are trying to make provisions for motorbike license trials in the space we already have. We can conduct the main trials but the available space still does not fully meet the specifications,” he said. GTMO had issued around 17,000 licenses last year. The suspension of trials has incurred a loss of around Rs 4 million for GTMO.
“I need a license urgently and I cannot get if from here,” said Shiva Shrestha. According to Purushottam Regmi, chairman of the Driving Schools Association in Gandaki Zone, youths going for work aboard have been the most affected after the issuing of licenses was stopped.
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