Automobile registration in Nepal surged by 43 percent in the first eight months of current Nepali fiscal year (July 16, 2005-July 15, 2006), Transport Management Department (TMD) of Nepal said here Friday.

"A total of 4,854 units of passenger vehicles were registered at 12 different Zonal Transport Offices during the first eight month of current Nepali fiscal year," TMD said in a press statement.

The number stood at 3,387 during the same period last year, the statement revealed.

Meanwhile, the total new vehicles registration increased by around nine percent during the period. According to TMD, a total of 29,430 vehicles were registered in the period, compared to 26, 960 for the same period of last Nepali fiscal year.

Despite the increment, registration of two-wheelers fell by 1.5 percent in the first eight months of the current Nepali fiscal year. Statistics show that a total of 20,125 motorcycles and scooters were registered during the current Nepali fiscal year, compared to 20,443 for the same period last year.

Among others, registration of heavy passenger vehicles, such as bus and minibus also increased by 58 percent during the first eight months. Statistics show that a total of 954 passenger buses and minibuses were registered during the period compared to 602 last year.

The registration of new microbuses also went up by around 15 percent to 493 during the period, following the Nepali government's announcement to displace more than 20-year-old public and government owned vehicles from mid-March.

Similarly, registration of trucks, and other heavy-duty vehicles, such as cranes, bulldozers, tippers and tankers, went up by around 38 percent to 1,498, compared to 1,086 for the same period last year.

Furthermore, 1,106 tractors, 352 pick-up vans and 35 three wheelers, were registered during the period, compared to 992, none and 9 for the same period last year respectively.

Source: Xinhua