KATHMANDU: A judicial committee formed to investigate the self-immolation incident involving ride-sharing driver Ganesh Nepali has recommended a series of measures to improve traffic management, including establishing a traffic court and introducing a faceless traffic management system.
The committee, led by former High Court judge Keshav Prasad Bastola, has made 15 recommendations to the government. The Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation, Federal Affairs and General Administration has asked all local governments to start implementing the recommendations.
The committee has proposed installing technology-based surveillance and monitoring systems in areas with heavy traffic to detect traffic violations and introduce a faceless enforcement system.
It has also recommended linking vehicle, driving license and traffic violation databases. Under the proposed system, people would automatically receive SMS notifications about traffic violations and the fines imposed.
The report has also called for the establishment of a traffic court or similar mechanism where motorists can easily file complaints or appeal if they believe they have been unfairly penalized by traffic or municipal police.
The committee has said fines should not be treated as the main objective of traffic management. Instead, enforcement should be designed in a way that helps motorists understand that penalties are a consequence of violations and builds public trust in traffic authorities.
The report has also recommended launching public awareness campaigns on traffic rules and including traffic regulations and citizens’ responsibilities in school curricula. It has called for better training for traffic and municipal police so that they deal with road users in a respectful, transparent and professional manner.
The committee has further suggested giving traffic and municipal police limited flexibility to consider the nature of an offense and the financial condition of the offender when imposing penalties.
Other recommendations include improving road markings and parking facilities, installing clearly visible no-parking signs, providing modern equipment for traffic management, improving the driving license system and giving new license holders adequate initial training.
The report has also called for clearer division of responsibilities between traffic police and municipal police, linking vehicle registration records, driving licenses and national identity cards, and developing an integrated database.
It has recommended drafting a Road Safety Act and updating the existing Vehicle and Transport Management Act, 2049.
The committee has also called for legal regulation of ride-sharing services. It has recommended proper arrangements for passenger pickup and drop-off, parking facilities, mandatory insurance for drivers and passengers, driver registration and an emergency communication system.
It has also proposed setting reasonable and uniform fare limits and encouraging digital payment for ride-sharing services.
