KATHMANDU: Security Printing Center, tasked with printing driver’s licenses, has handed over a total of 3,082 licenses to the Department of Transport Management (DoTM). On Monday, the center transferred 1,150 licenses as part of the third printing phase.
So far, the department had sent the details of 4,200 applicants to the center for printing.
“During the first phase, 519 licenses, the second phase 1,413, and in the third phase, 1,150 licenses were received from the center,” said Keshav Khatri, Director of Information and Technology at the department.
The licenses received from the center are first checked and updated before being distributed to service recipients.
Khatri noted that minor errors were identified as the printing task is new for the center. “Some errors arise due to system limitations. For example, the system cannot process names with more than 30 characters, which then needs manual adjustment. Our engineers are overseeing this,” he said.
The department updates applicants about the license distribution through its Facebook page.
The license printing agreement between the department and the Security Printing Center was signed on October 29, under which the center is required to deliver 1.2 million licenses within six months.
The printing process was officially launched on November 2 by Communications and Information Technology Minister Jagdish Kharel, who pressed the start button on the printing machine at the Panauti-based center.
In the first phase, the department had sent 500 urgent licenses for printing that were delayed due to Gen-Z protest. After technical checks, the center handed over 519 licenses to the department on November 21, although only a few were found ready for distribution.
At present, the department is printing only urgent licenses.
“So far, only urgent licenses have been printed, and some errors need to be addressed. Gradually, we will start printing bulk licenses,” Khatri said.
Despite initial delays, the center has the capacity for efficient printing, and the department is optimistic that the work will be completed on schedule. Meanwhile, the department has also initiated the procurement process for a permanent server to replace the temporary setup, which has caused service issues.
“Service through the temporary server has faced problems. We have requested market quotes for a permanent server today. Once it arrives, the department plans to issue the contract,” Khatri added.
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