KATHMANDU: The newly formed government led by Balen Shah has placed strong emphasis on good governance and the digitalization of public services.
In its first Cabinet meeting held on March 27, the government approved a 100-point reform agenda targeting improvements across sectors such as health, education, public administration, infrastructure, and transportation.
Out of these, five key decisions are directly related to the vehicle and transport sector:
- Driving license delivery to homes
The government plans to introduce home delivery of driving licenses. By modernizing postal services into a ‘Government Courier Service,’ official documents such as licenses, passports, and citizenship copies will be securely delivered to citizens’ homes.
- Faceless license process
The process of obtaining a driving license will be made fully digital and “faceless.” This means applicants will no longer need to interact with multiple officials or visit several offices. Services will be delivered in a predictable timeframe, reducing delays and eliminating middlemen.
- CCTV in public transport
All public transport vehicles will be required to install CCTV cameras and dash-cams. This move aims to improve passenger safety and prevent gender-based violence. Additionally, ride-sharing apps will be mandated to include an SOS feature that can instantly alert the police during emergencies. The government aims to implement this within 30 days.
- ‘Blue Bus’ service for women
To improve safety and accessibility, the government will introduce dedicated ‘Blue Bus’ services for women across all seven provinces. In the first phase, at least 25 buses will be deployed within 100 days.
- Auction of vehicles held at customs
Vehicles that have been held at customs offices for extended periods will be identified and processed for auction. These include seized vehicles from smuggling and other cases. The government plans to quickly decide whether to utilize, manage, or auction such vehicles.
