KATHMANDU: A newly introduced digital driving licence system has disrupted services at transport offices across Nepal, leaving thousands of applicants unable to access key licence-related services for nearly three weeks.
The Department of Transport Management rolled out the EDLVRS system at the start of the fiscal year, replacing the previous platform. However, technical glitches have halted almost all services, including new licence applications, renewals, category upgrades, duplicate licences, retrials and record corrections.
Only the distribution of licences printed before the new system was launched has continued.
Transport officials say the platform was implemented without adequate testing, resulting in problems ranging from incorrect fee calculations and data migration failures to applicants becoming stuck at various stages of the online process, particularly medical verification.
Bagmati Province has formally suspended most licence services until further notice, citing unresolved database migration and technical issues. Provincial transport offices have urged the federal department to address the problems urgently.
Despite the disruption, the Department of Transport Management insists the system is gradually being stabilised and that technical issues are being resolved.
The malfunction has affected all 43 transport offices nationwide, with applicants reporting lengthy delays and uncertainty over licence renewals, written examinations and driving tests, raising concerns over the government’s digital service rollout.
