The Ministry of Industry, Tourism, and Transport of Lumbini Province has established a task force to address issues and improve the management of the transport sector in the region. The task force, named the “Lumbini Province Comprehensive Transport Administration Reform Task Force,” was announced by the Minister of Industry, Tourism, and Transport, Prachanda Bikram Neupane.
The formation of the task force comes in response to complaints from the public about the need for better organization in the transport sector. Minister Neupane explained that the task force will study how to make the transport system more accessible and efficient for the public. “There have been complaints from citizens regarding transport services, and there is a demand for better management,” he stated. “The task force will examine how to resolve existing issues and propose ways to make the transport sector more user-friendly.”
The 10-member task force is led by Ramesh Gautam, Chief of the Ministry’s Division, and includes representatives from the Office of the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Law, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Planning, the Information Technology Institute, the Transport Management Office Rupandehi (Driver’s License), the Transport Management Office Rupandehi (Vehicles), the Nepal Police Highway Safety and Traffic Management Office Butwal, a mechanical engineer from the Ministry of Industry, Tourism, and Transport, and the head of the Ministry’s Transport Branch.
The task force will focus on identifying policy and legal complexities in the transport services provided by the province. Minister Neupane mentioned that the study will address legal challenges in delivering transport services, with the findings guiding necessary actions. Additionally, the task force will prioritize public grievances, acknowledging that citizens have reported difficulties in accessing transport services.
One significant issue raised by the public is the inconvenience caused by the lack of a token system in transport offices, leading to long wait times. Minister Neupane recently directed all transport offices in the province to implement a token system immediately.
The task force will also study administrative and managerial challenges, as well as inter-ministerial coordination and roles, and will prepare a report based on their findings. This report will serve as the basis for the ministry to develop plans and guidelines for strengthening and managing the transport sector in Lumbini Province. Minister Neupane emphasized that the ultimate goal is to make the transport sector well-organized and citizen-friendly, based on the task force’s recommendations.
