25-year-old private vehicles to be scrapped

GANDAKI, FEBRUARY 4: Privately owned vehicles reaching the age of 25 years will now be scrapped in the Gandaki province. This is the first time that such a provision has been made for private vehicles in the country. Earlier, the age limit of 20 years applied to only public transport vehicles as per federal law.

The new provision comes into effect in the province, after its Vehicle and Transport Regulations, 2080, was published in the provincial gazette last Thursday. Spokesperson of the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development and Transport Management, Tikaram Paudel, said that the age of private vehicles has been set at 25 years for the first time in Nepal. There is already a provision for public vehicles to be scrapped after 20 years. For electric public vehicles, the age limit is set at thirty years.

It is mentioned in the regulations that the ministry can create and issue necessary standards to convert public and other vehicles into electric vehicles. Spokesperson Paudel said that the regulations have also provided legal ground to regulate and legalize the transport services provided through the Ride Sharing app.

Transportation service can be provided through the use of the Ride Sharing App at specified fares after completing the necessary procedures along with passenger insurance. The regulations have also increased the fine paid by taxis that do not run on the meter system. From now on, the minimum fine rate will be increased to Rs 10,000 from the existing 2,100. Furthermore, the road permit license can be suspended for six months as the maximum penalty. Around 3,500 taxis are operating in Gandaki province including 2,500 in Pokhara alone.