After the government announced to provide 33 percent subsidy in purchasing new vehicles for those who have 15-year-old vehicles in the Valley last year, the Transport Management Office Bagmati has registered 60 cabs, 111 private cars and 91 minibuses.

Arjun Ghimire, an official at the TMOB, said that the 15- year -old vehicles scrapped last year are getting 33 percent tax subsidies while purchasing new vehicles." The government has not announced such provision this year, so vehicle owners will not get any subsidy for the 15- year -old vehicles," A total of 512 cars, 208 buses and 90 taxis were scrapped last year. He said: "The government decided to provide subsidy in purchasing new vehicles to lessen traffic congestion and control pollution."

The government halted the registration of new taxis citing the decreasing business of the cabbies on May 30, 2000. In 2003, the government made the decision to permit 20-year-old vehicles to ply outside the valley. Last July, the government decided to phase out 15-year-old vehicles from the Kathmandu Valley.

Source: The Himalayan Times