KATHMANDU: The Bagmati Province Government is preparing to print driving licenses on its own from November.
The provincial government purchased five printers worth Rs 50 million in mid-July to begin license printing. Although it started a tender process to procure smart cards, it was canceled after a legal dispute arose against bidding companies. For now, the province plans to procure smart cards through a fast-track process while simultaneously moving ahead with a new tender.
Bimal Prasad Bhattarai, information officer at Bagmati’s Ministry of Labor, Employment, and Transport, said preparations were underway to print and distribute licenses from the province itself starting in November. He added that the licenses will be printed through the province’s “Electronic Driving License System”.
More than three million applicants are still awaiting their licenses, with some pending for more than three years.
“Nearly 850,000 applicants in the province are still waiting for their licenses,” Bhattarai told MeroAuto. “This is why the province is preparing to print and distribute licenses on its own.”
Bhattarai added that the machines have already been purchased. “We bought the five license printing machines back in July. Now only the cards are pending,” he said. “If we rely solely on the tender process, there will be further delays. So, for now, we will bring in a small quantity through the fast-track method while also proceeding with a regular tender.”
In the first phase, the province plans to issue licenses to those traveling abroad for foreign employment. Once enough cards are available through the tender process, licenses will be distributed to all.
Bagmati Province has allocated Rs 67.5 million in the current fiscal year for license printing and related activities.
Capacity to Print 750 Licenses Per Hour
According to Bhattarai, each printer has a capacity to print 150 licenses per hour. The five machines can print a combined 750 licenses per hour.
The province government is also facing legal hurdles as the federal government’s Security Printing Act, 2024 gives the authority to print official documents, including citizenship certificates, passports, national identity cards, banknotes, visa stickers, excise stamps, driving licenses and land ownership certificates, exclusively to the central government’s Security Printing Center.
To address this, the Bagmati government has formally requested approval from the Security Printing Center.
Bhattarai said they submitted an application seeking the go-ahead to print driving license last week.
“The law states that only the Security Printing Press can print licenses. But transport management falls under the jurisdiction of the provinces, so we prepared to handle it ourselves,” Bhattarai said. “Since legal hurdles exist, we have written to the center seeking approval. Once approval is granted, we will move ahead with the necessary procedures.”
At present, license printing is handled by the federal Department of Transport Management. According to the department, more than three million applicants are still awaiting their licenses, with some pending for more than three years.
