KATHMANDU: During the Gen-Z movement on September 9 and 10, dozens of traffic posts and offices across the country were set on fire. Along with this, hundreds of vehicles and thousands of important documents stored in these offices were destroyed.
In the Kathmandu Valley alone, 37 traffic offices were destroyed. According to the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office, around 60,800 blue books and licenses that had been kept in these offices after taking action against traffic rule violators were burned. This number is even higher when adding data from other offices across the country.
As a result, thousands of vehicle owners and drivers are now left without documents. Adding to the problem, the server of the Department of Transport Management was also damaged, making it impossible to view licenses even on the Citizen app. Drivers are therefore facing significant difficulties.
Now, the big question is: how can vehicle owners get the blue books and licenses that were destroyed? At present, both the central and provincial governments have not made any decisions regarding the replacement of these burned documents. This means owners must follow the regular process to get duplicate copies of their destroyed licenses and blue books.
Legally, a duplicate copy can be issued if a blue book or driver’s license is lost, torn, damaged or destroyed for any reason.
Lokendra Singh Guru, DSP of the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office, explained that if the blue book or license is lost or destroyed, the owner must apply for a duplicate.
“The records of vehicle blue books and licenses are kept at the Department of Transport Management and its offices. If someone has lost or destroyed these documents, they should complete the necessary procedures and obtain a duplicate copy,” he told MeroAuto.
He added that the process requires a recommendation from the concerned traffic police office. If the vehicle owner or driver had been penalized for a traffic violation, the fine must first be paid before the recommendation is issued. “You can request a recommendation online or by visiting the concerned traffic office. However, if you have been subject to traffic action, the recommendation will only be given after paying the fine,” he said.
Ambik Ghimire, Information Officer at the Traffic Management Office for Small and Large Vehicles in Ekantakuna, said that once a traffic recommendation is obtained, a duplicate blue book can be issued from the office where the vehicle was registered, and a duplicate license from the office where it was originally issued.
Applicants must be physically present to obtain a duplicate. They need to bring the traffic recommendation, a copy of the lost document (if available), and their original citizenship certificate.
In the Kathmandu Valley, the recommendation should be obtained from the Traffic Police Office (Baggikhana). Outside the Valley, it should be taken from the Traffic Police Office of the district where the document was lost.
Ghimire further explained that if the file related to a vehicle or owner kept at a traffic office was also lost or burned, a new file will be created and then a duplicate blue book will be issued. “Normally, a duplicate blue book is issued on the basis of the file available in the transport office. If those files are also destroyed, a new file will be created, and then the duplicate will be provided,” he told MeroAuto.
Since license details are stored on the server, there will not be a problem issuing duplicates. To obtain a duplicate blue book, the fee is Rs. 500 for two-wheelers and Rs. 1,000 for four-wheelers. Similarly, the fee for a duplicate license is Rs. 500.
