Though the Department of Transportation Management (DoTM) in Bagmati Zone is supposed to stop accepting registrations forms two days before Ghatasthapana, the first day of Dashain, DoTM has closed a week before that day as the ground for holding driving trials has been used for setting up fair price shops.[break]
According to DoTM, the premises of National Trading Limited (NTL) near Singhdurbar are used for trials for four-wheeler licenses but the opening of fair price shops there on September 17 has created huge difficulties in continuing the driving license trials.
“The fair price shops have hindered us and as a result we have to close,” said Jay Ghimire. “Huge numbers of people start coming to the shops after 10 a.m. and our driving license trials also start around the same time. So we stopped the trials.”
According to Ghimire, along with lack of space, lack of manpower is another reason for shutting down the registration process a bit earlier. Most of the posts there are still vacant and the remaining staff are on Dashain leave.
Hundreds of people residing in other zones visit Kathmandu just to get their diving licenses as trials are taken only in the capital. But people are compelled to turn away disappointed because of the decision to stop accepting registration forms.
“We are compelled to do that as we do not have other options,” said Sudarshan Prasad Dhakal, director general of DoTM. “After Dashain, we will immediately start accepting the registration forms again.”
Though DoTM has been paying more than Rs 1 million to NTL as rent for the ground used by them, the trial process is always hampered by the fair price shops during Dashian.
According to Dhakal, the government is compelled to stop traking the registration forms for driving license trails during Dashain as they do not have any other space for four-wheeler trials.
On Wednesday, they have just an hour in the morning to finish the driving trials for four-wheelers. Normally, 300 people undergo the trial in a day and it becomes difficult to manage the huge number.
“We are finishing the trials for people who submitted their forms before we closed the counter,” said Ghimire.
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