KATHMANDU: The Transport Management Office at Thulo Bharyang has started the process of distributing smart driving licenses that had been halted due to the coronavirus and subsequent lockdown and prohibitory order imposed in order to contain the spread of the virus.
The transport office at Thulo Bharyang started distributing licenses by issuing a notice to that effect.The service seekers have been requested to visit the office only after confirming whether their licenses have been printed or not.
According to the office, the smart licenses will be distributed from 10 am to 3 pm. However, other transport management offices have not yet started distributing the licenses.
Although the Ministry of Physical infrastructure and Transport did hold a discussion regarding distribution of driving licenses in Kathmandu by managing the crowd of service seekers, it has not given any direction on the issue, said Nabin Kumar Singh, spokesperson at the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport.
According to Singh, the ministry had held a discussion to resume the distribution of licenses in a safe manner during the pandemic through the transport management office itself in collaboration with the transport department. He said there were discussions held so that the office could manage all the safety measures like maintaining social distance and reducing congestion. He also said that the service will come into operation after the office finalizes the number of service seekers who will be provided licenses per day.
“All the offices will come into operation in a few days,” said Singh, adding, “Currently, 500,000 licenses have already been printed for distribution.”He further stated that the transport office itself needs to manage the new distribution procedure and other necessary activities.