Millions left waiting as Nepal’s driving licence backlog drags on
Summary
Nearly 2.7 million Nepalis who passed driving tests are waiting years for their physical licences due to systemic inefficiencies and a backlog worsened by a fire at the Department of Transport Management office.
Key Points
- Nearly 2.7 million people in Nepal who passed driving licence tests still await their physical cards years later.
- A fire in September damaged the Department of Transport Management office, destroying 22,000 printed licences and halting services for weeks.
- The Department has started phased printing of 1.2 million licences through the Security Printing Centre, aiming to clear the backlog by mid-next year.
- Experts and lawmakers call for decentralising and outsourcing licence printing to speed up delivery and improve efficiency.
