Plan to install embossed number plates revived.

Kathmandu, Dec, 19, 2013

The government’s plan to replace all motor vehicle licence plates with machine-made embossed plates has stirred back to life with the Department of Transport Management starting preparations to call a global tender to hire a consultant.

The department has asked its line ministry the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport for permission to go ahead with the project.

The plan to go for embossed number plates had been
inserted in the Three-Year Interim Plan 2007-10, but it did not happen due to procedural delays and inconclusive discussions on how to go about doing it.  

“Our minister-level meeting is scheduled to take place within a few days, and it will give a policy level decision to move ahead with the project,” said Tulasi Prasad Sitaula, secretary at the Physical Infrastructure Ministry.

He added that a global tender would be called by next month, and the embossed number plates would be in use on motor vehicles by this fiscal year.

The machine-made licence plates will replace the traditional hand-painted plates which have been used since automobiles first appeared in the country more than a hundred years ago. The new plates will help the government to maintain uniformity in the issuance of vehicle numbers.

Two months ago, the department had conducted a fresh study on the new numbering system based on international practices. It has submitted a report to the ministry including the size, shape and colours of the plates and the method of issuance. “As soon as we get the go-ahead, we will start work on hiring a consultant,” said Sarad Adhikari, technical director of the department.

He added that the cost of the new plates to vehicle owners would be known later after deciding the features to be included and the implementation model. As per the department, the new number plate system is being introduced to create uniformity in licence plates, keep digital records of vehicles, discourage vehicle tax evasion and control auto theft. The government recently started work to issue smartcard driving licences and blue books.

The government has been planning to issue embossed number plates for the last three years. Under this scheme, they will be issued to new vehicles first. The hand-written number plates on old vehicles will be replaced gradually. There are more than 1.6 million motor vehicles, including 1 million two-wheeler, registered in the country.