In a welcome relief to service seekers waiting for years to get their driver’s license cards for months, Germany's Muehlbauer Company delivered over 600,000 driver’s license cards to the Nepal government on Thursday. The delivery of the first consignment of the driver’s license cards comes as a breath of fresh air for the Department of Transport Management (DoTM) and the 1,458,000 drivers who have been patiently awaiting the renewal or issuance of their licenses for a long time. The DoTM had not been able to print drivers’ licenses as per the demand for the last 14 months and the printing of drivers’ license cards was halted six months ago due to the lack of cards for printing. Amid a backlog of several hundred of thousands of drivers’ licenses, the DoTM had earlier awarded the contract to supply drivers’ license cards to the Germany-based company. The second consignment of the driving licenses of another 600,000 cards is also expected to be shipped within the next 45 days. This is likely to significantly help reduce the backlog and streamline driving license delivery to the service-seekers.
It is troubling to note that the printing of driving license cards has been on hold for the past six months, creating a backlog of a staggering 1,458,000 drivers waiting for the cards. Officials say the DoTM currently has a capacity to print around 7,000 cards a day if the machine is operated on round the clock basis. Going by the simple calculation, it will take a minimum of seven months for the DoTM to clear the backlog alone. But as the number of people seeking driving licenses continues to grow, there is a need to take additional measures to address the issue once and for all. With around 5,000 people passing license exams and renewing their licenses daily, the urgency to address the problem cannot be underestimated. DoTM officials say they are preparing to procure another printing machine by May to ease the situation. This is a step in the right direction. However, much needs to be done to ensure seamless distribution of driving license cards. Firstly, the DoTM must ensure timely supply of driving license printing cards. Secondly, it also must mobilize adequate human resources to make sure that the printing work is smooth.
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A driver's license is a basic government document that every citizen is entitled to receive on time and without hassles after meeting the criteria for it including passing the written and trial tests. A functioning state must ensure that services like these are provided on time and without any hassles. But the fact that a citizen wanting to receive a new driving license card or renewing it needs to wait for several months is embarrassing, to say the least. It is high time all government stakeholders worked together to first clear the backlog and start delivering the driving license cards on a timely basis. The onus for this lies not only on the bureaucratic machinery but also on the political leaders in power, who are allegedly involved in dilly-dallying the process until they are assured that they will receive their share of commissions in the procurement process. As the first batch of driving license cards arrive in Nepal, we hope that the DoTM will be able to gradually start clearing the backlog and streamlining the license distribution process. This is a must towards restoring public faith in the state machinery.
