Govt bans new public transport registration nationwide
Authorities say the rapid, unregulated expansion of public transport has strained road infrastructure and significantly disrupted daily commuting.
KATHMANDU: The Department of Transport Management has ordered a complete suspension of new registrations for public transport vehicles across the country, effective immediately and until further notice.
The directive, issued to provincial ministries and local governments across all seven provinces, aims to address worsening air pollution, rising traffic congestion, and growing pressure on urban mobility systems. Authorities say the rapid, unregulated expansion of public transport has strained road infrastructure and significantly disrupted daily commuting.
According to the department, the decision is grounded in Section 24(3) of the Vehicle and Transport Management Act, 2049, which empowers regulators to restrict or suspend vehicle registrations in the public interest, particularly in cases involving environmental degradation, traffic overload, and road safety concerns.
Officials also cited broader economic pressures, including rising fuel prices and inefficiencies within the current transport system, arguing that stabilizing the existing fleet is now a priority over expansion.
Significantly, the ban also extends to electric public vehicles, signaling that the policy applies across all fuel types as authorities push for systemic restructuring rather than technology-based exemptions.
