The government is set to introduce the mandatory vehicle emission test across the country from next month.

After imposing a ban on 20-year-old vehicles for controlling air pollution, the Department of Transport Management (DoTM) has decided to enforce the emission test nationwide from April 14.

The department has purchased 40 emission testing machines for the purpose, DoTM Director General Rup Narayan Bhattarai said.The machines will be installed at 20 locations outside Kathmandu Valley, bringing all the vehicles plying across the country under watch. The supplier would finish installation of the machines by April 3. 

“We’ve already issued a notice warning that vehicles not complying with the emission standards will be banned from the Nepali New Year,” said Bhattarai, adding that the rules would first come into force in Kathmandu Valley and all the metropolitan and sub-metropolitan cities.

The machines will be installed at Transport Management Offices and Service Centres under the DoTM. Only three sets of emission testing equipment are currently available in Teku, Sano Bharyang and Ekantakuna.

Besides widening the emission test coverage, the DoTM is working to strictly enforce the green-sticker rule. Green stickers will be made mandatory for vehicles in all the metropolises and sub-metropolises across the country once the emission standards and action plans are upgraded, according to DG Bhattarai.

“We are trying to ensure that the green sticker is not distributed haphazardly, but only to those vehicles passing the test,” said Bhattarai. Each green sticker will have a specific serial number and the name of official issuing it.

If a vehicle is found to have breached emission standards, the official issuing the sticker will be held accountable, said Bhattarai. “The proposed changes include penalising officials.” The department is waiting for the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport to approve the changes.