The Department of Transport Management will ban 20-year-old vehicles across the country from this Chaita (March-April), according to a Rastriya Samachar Samiti.

This rule exempts taxi and electric vehicles. Presently, there are around 5,500 two decade old vehicles across the country.

The national news agency attributes the transport department’s decision to curb the rising air pollution in Kathmandu Valley.

The department will amend the Motor Vehicle and Transport Management Regulations- 2054 BS Act before promulgating the ban on two decades old vehicles.

Department’s Director General Rup Narayan Bhattarai admitted the decision to remove two decades old vehicles from the Kathmandu Valley from February last year was yet be fully enforced.

He warned the department would take stern action against violators of the order.