Govt proposes helmet rule for pillion riders, bans children from sitting in front on motorcycles

Kathmandu / Feb 28: The government has started preparations to revise the Motor Vehicles and Transport Management Act, 2049 BS after three decades. The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport (MoPIT) has prepared a draft of the new act and made it public on its website for suggestions. Through the new act, the government has added many provisions to the vehicle and transport sector.

According to Shankar Singh Dhami, Senior Division Engineer of MoPIT, the new Vehicle and Transport Act will have stricter rules on road safety and fines. The proposed act mandates that both the rider and the pillion rider on motorcycles or scooters must wear helmets.

The proposed act prohibits children from being placed in front of the rider while driving a motorcycle. Similarly, the MoPIT has proposed to impose a fine of Rs 10,000 to Rs 30,000 or six months in prison, along with confiscation of the vehicle, for driving without the number plate mentioned in the vehicle registration certificate.

Earlier, there was a provision for confiscation of the vehicle along with a fine of Rs 5,000 to Rs 15,000 or six months imprisonment for such an offense. The proposed act has provision of imposing a fine of Rs 5,000 for two-wheelers and three-wheelers, followed by Rs 15,000 for small and medium-sized vehicles, and Rs 50,000 for large vehicles if a vehicle is operated without registration.

If a vehicle is used for purposes other than its registered use, a fine of Rs 2,000 will be imposed on two-wheelers and three-wheelers, Rs 3,000 on medium-sized vehicles, and Rs 5,000 on large vehicles.