He has been waiting for the resumption of the driving test in this district. “I could not pass the test in my first attempt. As I was preparing to take written exam to qualify for driving test for the second time, the Transport Management Office stopped conducting the trial,” says Thapa. [break]
The DTMO, which was conducting the trail test twice a month, has stopped issuing license after the government introduced a new method of practical test for the driving license four month ago.
New driving license aspirants from Baglung, Parbat, Myagdi and Mustang districts have been affected after the DTMO stopped issuing license since last April citing lack of space and infrastructure to conduct the trial in the new system.
Out of the 13 Zonal Transport Management Offices in the country only the Bagmati Zonal Transport Management Office has been conducting test for the driving license at present after the Transport Management Department introduced the new system.
“The department has introduced a new system for the driving license test. We lack infrastructure and our own space for the purpose,” says Rudra Bhusal, chief of the DTMO. The department had issued notice for the new trial system in the last January. As per the new system, a 50 meter long and 16 meter wide space is needed for the trial of the two wheelers. Besides, 300 running course is also needed for the test. A 57 meter long and 25 meter wide space, and 600 running course is required for the four-wheeler.
According to Bhusal, the DTMO does not have its own land to conduct trial, and that it cannot lease the space with the rent, which should not exceed Rs. 100,000 a year, as set by the department.
The DTMO had been issuing 800 licenses a month. Now hundreds of people are forced to visit capital just to appear in the practical test to obtain a driving license.
Accountant at the DTMO, Dayaram Sharma said that and the office have lost huge revenue since the license issuance was halted four month back.
“We have been holding meeting with all the stakeholders to develop the new trial spot,” Sharma further said, adding that the DTMO will take more than four month to prepare for the new spot.
Sudharshan Dhakal, Director General at the Department of Transport Management, said that preparations are underway to shortly resume issuance of license from all the Zonal Transport management offices.
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