Ever since their introduction in 2012-13, three wheeled electric rickshaws have overtaken other modes of transportation as the chief mode of urban transport in many cities of Nepal. These electric vehicles, also popularly known as e-rickshaw, City Safari, or City rickshaw, have now become the chief paratransit vehicle in the city of Biratnagar with around 20000 electric rickshaws already plying on the streets of Koshi province and 200,000 e-rickshaw all over Terai (plain urban cities) region of Nepal. These e-rickshaw are eco-friendly, creating jobs for many Nepalis, and providing affordable transportation service to the public in minimum amount of 20 cents for the local ride. But since the beginning, these city rickshaws have been subjected to various regulatory barriers including registration, route, management, and the driving license.
Currently e-rickshaw drivers in Nepal face the challenge of not having driving license. As per the government rules one must pass the written test to appear in the practical test. But for many uneducated e-rickshaw drivers, the written test is a major barrier. Without passing it, they cannot take part in practical tests and remain without a driving license. Bikalpa recent study shows that around 80 percent of the e-rickshaw drivers do not have the driving license, which is mandatory legal documents. Without driving license, insurance claim cannot be made if they hit an accident, and these poor e-rickshaw drivers may end up in jail for driving without license and not being able to pay the compensation amount. Analyzing this situation and identifying the problem, Bikalpa has been raising the issue for the last few years. To address the issue, recently the Koshi Provincial Government, make amendment to the Provincial Vehicle and Transport Management Regulation 2082, that says “city rickshaw drivers in Koshi Province will no longer be required to take a written exam to obtain a license”. This is a policy win to every one of us and thanks to the Ministry of Internal affairs, and Law of Koshi Province for making this necessary changes.
After solving the registration quota of e-rickshaw problem in Biratnagar in 2016, Bikalpa started raising the voice regarding licensing issue since last year. To identify the cases, we went to different stakeholders like police department, e-rickshaw unions, traffic authorities, lawyers, e-rickshaw traders etc. We started writing blog and articles in the online and print media to highlight the cases and the issue. Altogether, we wrote 6 blog and articles that sensitize the public, stakeholders, and the concerned authorities. To amplify the issue even larger masses, we started creating videos. Bikalpa published a documentary video, that highlights the relevance of e-rickshaw in Nepali society and the challenge it faced. We did an interview with the e-rickshaw drivers, and the trade union members to showcase the problem and challenges they must face in acquiring the driving license and the consequences of not having it. To identify the relevance of e-rickshaw in Nepali society, we also did the video with the common people who use e-rickshaw service for different purpose. Besides this, we also showcased the story of the woman who lost her husband to jail for not having a driving license which leads to her 16-year-old son death by committing suicide.
Apart from blog and videos, we organized the stakeholders’ dialogues to bring all the stakeholder together and discuss on the solution to the existing problem of e-rickshaw. We organized 2 stakeholders dialogue dated on 4th October 2024 and in 4th January 2025 where e-rickshaw drivers, traders, trade union members, municipal authorities, policy makers, civil society members, youths and the authorities from department of transport and ministry took part. The dialogue not only share about the challenges but also demand for needed reform for the e-rickshaw drivers. During the event civil society member Parul Chhetri raised the voice in favor of the e-rickshaw drivers was very much appreciated by the public. The Chief Guest of the panel discussion Hon. Meena Shrestha, who is also a member of parliament of Koshi Province Assembly raise the issue at the parliament that informed the law makers on the issue.
Realizing the need to meet the authorities and policy makers, we prepared delegation and started reaching out to them. On 4 of June, we handover the Delegation to Head of Department of Transport, Itahari, Sunsari, Koshi Province Mr. Satis Satyal. Similarly on 6th of June to Man Bahadur Devkota, Head of Department of Transport, on 10 June to Mr. Rabin Karki, Head of Transport Management service office, Biratnagar, Morang Koshi Province. On 13 June to Hon. Bhakti Prasad Situola, Member of Koshi Province Parliament and former Minister of Culture, Tourism, and Cooperatives, and Leader of Rastriya Prajatantra Party at Koshi Province Assembly who make a commitment to address this issue at the parliament. And on 17 June, we handover the delegation to the Minister of Internal affairs, and Law of Koshi Province Hon. Rewati Raman Bhandari. He assured that Ministry of that Internal affairs and Law of Koshi Province is working on the policy reform to ease the e-rickshaw driving license in Koshi Province and ensure the livelihood of many low-income earning families.
On 13 June 2025, Bikalpa organized the press meeting with the objectives to inform about the issue to the journalist and engage them to highlight the issue to the larger public and stakeholders. The press meet was covered by around half a dozen national and local media including Our Biratnagar, Nagarik News, Muluki Khabar, Thaha Khabar, Shabda Express, that helped to amply our issue to the larger audience.
On 24 June 2025, Bhakti Prasad Situola, Member of Koshi Province Parliament and former Minister of Culture, Tourism, and Cooperatives, and Leader of Rastriya Prajatantra Party at Koshi Province Assembly at parliament speak 10 minutes at the Parliament about the challenge city rickshaw drivers are facing on acquiring driving license and the consequences they have to face for not having one. On 30 June 2025, while addressing the Parliament, Minister of Internal affairs, and Law of Koshi Province Hon. Rewati Raman Bhandari announced that the provision of written exam has been terminated. He further mentioned, now onwards e-rickshaw drivers in Koshi Province will not have to appear in written test instead they will have to take part in a video orientation program, which they are not obelized to pass, but passing the practical test is mandatory for the e-rickshaw drivers. To make people aware about the change, we did an interview with Minister of Internal affairs, and Law of Koshi Province Hon. Rewati Raman Bhandari who directly keep concern in this issue.
This is a great move from the Koshi Province government which deserve a great applause, this decision will certainly help to ease the life and livelihood of many e-rickshaw drivers and their family of Koshi Province. But this decision is going to affect only the e-rickshaw drivers in Koshi Province. There is more to go, still there are other 6 provinces where the reform is needed to ease the licensing process. The reform of the Koshi Province may be an inspiration to other province and Bikalpa is ready to take lead to facilitate the process.
