Chitwan, October 29
Applicants seeking driving licences in Chitwan and neighbouring districts have been facing difficulties after written and practical driving tests were suspended for nearly three months following a Supreme Court order.
The tests have remained suspended since July 26 after the court ordered a halt to services at a private trial centre in the district, according to Govinda Paudel, information officer at the Transport Management Office in Bharatpur.
The suspension has also affected around 800 applicants waiting to take their re-trial examinations. In addition, approximately 2,000 people who regularly sit for weekly re-trials and scheduled examinations have been affected.
Paudel said the court had ordered the cancellation of the contract for operating the private trial centre and directed the authorities to initiate a fresh tender process.
However, the office has been unable to invite bids because it has not received instructions from the concerned ministry.
“We have been unable to carry out driving licence-related work because no circular has been issued by the ministry,” Paudel said.
The office is currently continuing services such as issuing vehicle registration certificates and route permits, alongside other functions, but driving licence examinations remain suspended.
When the trial centre was operational, around 400 new and existing applicants could take written and practical driving licence tests in a single session.
