Classy vehicles worth billions gather dust

KATHMANDU, Oct 19: These are world-class vehicles used by royalty, heads of state, prime ministers and top business executives across the world. The luxurious vehicles were imported for the then king, queen and other royalty at different times.

But since the abolition of monarchy, over five dozen expensive vehicles worth billions of rupees have been left in a completely sorry state just like scrap.[break]

According to officials of a committee formed to study and make recommendations to the government regarding the management of such vehicles, the total cost of the 65 vehicles, which have gathered dust inside their garages for nearly three years past due to government apathy, is estimated at Rs 5 billion.

The Ministry of Culture is responsible for managing such vehicles.

The vehicles, which include Jaguar, Daimler and Mercedez-Benz models, were imported from the United Kingdom, Singapore and other countries. Some of the vehicles were left under the open sky for two to six months. Due to lack of maintenance, they became covered with bushes.

Following serious objections by former home secretary Leelmani Paudyal over the neglect of the vehicles, officials put some of them in garages. The garages themselves are in poor shape due to water leakage. No servicing and maintenance have been carried out on the vehicles for the past there years.

"No one has started up the engines even once since ex-king Gynendra left the royal palace," said an official working at Narayanhiti Museum.

According to a comprehensive report prepared by the committee formed under the Ministry of Culture two years and nine months ago, eight bulletproof vehicles including four bulletproof limousines, half a dozen Land Rovers, Land Cruisers, Range Rovers, fire engines, vans, ordinary cars, jeeps, pickups and others have been gathering dust inside small garages.

"The government recently purchased some new and expensive vehicles for prime ministers, home ministers, other ministers and ministry use," said an official of the committee, adding, "Billions could have been saved had the government brought the existing vehicles into use and provided them to the prime minister, other ministers and ministry officials."

Of the vehicles left in such sorry state, some are new. Five-year-old bulletproof cars (Ba. 5 Cha 253 and Ba 5 Cha 1933) and seven-year-old bulletproof cars (Ba. 4 Cha 2845 and Ba 4 Cha 2637) are among those which are gathering dust. According to the report, these are highly expensive vehicles.

"It is estimated that the then royal palace paid Rs 40 to 60 million each for the bulletproof cars," states the report.

According to the report, there are altogether 15 bulletproof limousines costing Rs 40 to 60 million each.

Some of the vehicles which have historical value have also been left in neglect. Two Daimler Benz cars used by the late King Birendra ( Ba 1 Cha 7398 and Ba 1 Cha 6021) have been left without any servicing and maintenance. These are among only six such cars in the world.

The committee had suggested to the government three alternatives --- bring the vehicles into use, keep some of them at Narayanhiti Museum, or auction them off.

The committee also advised the government to appoint a driver to start up the cars on a regular basis and allocate a budget for servicing and maintenance. None of the committee recommendations have been implemented.

Following abolition of the monarchy nearly three years ago, the government has provided some of the expensive vehicles to the president, vice-president, the ex-king, the culture minister and others.