Nineteen electric vehicles that were provided by foreign donors in subsidy have been stranded in Lumbini for over two years, thanks to an inordinate delay in the legal and operational procedure.

Earlier, the government had bought the subsidised vehicles at the cost of Rs 130 million provided by the Asian Development Bank through the Clean Energy Project. The vehicles that were imported to Nepal on November 24, 2020 through the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation were later handed to the Lumbini Development Trust. The government had spent over Rs 30 million in tax for importing the vehicles.

The import of the vehicles aims to connect Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa with religious and tourist destinations including Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautam Buddha, Tilaurakot, Ramgram, Devdaha and surrounding areas, make movements of tourists easier and curb pollution in Lumbini and surrounding areas, according to the concerned authorities.

They said delay in legal and operational process had exacerbated the situation.

The luxurious electric vehicles include five 19-seater buses and 14 five-seater vans. They have automatic doors and are disabledfriendly.

However, the dumped vehicles have started breaking down, thereby compounding the problem.

Some of them have reported malfunction in their tyres and batteries, as per locals.

Electric vehicle charging stations have also been constructed in Lumbini at the cost of Rs 139 million.

Vice-chairperson of the Siddhartha Hotel Association Megh Nath Acharya said the state's property had been destroyed by dumping the vehicles. "The LDT should initiate the task of developing the operation modality and restoring the vehicles," he said, adding, "The vehicles will be completely ruined after some years if their operation is delayed."

Acharya accused the concerned authorities of being apathetic towards the operation of stranded electric vehicles.

"It took a whopping three years to develop its operational modality and changing the number plates," he said.

"It takes no time to convert government vehicles into private or tourist ones. But, such initiatives are not taken on various pretexts."

The LDT on September 29, 2022 had tested the operation of five electric vehicles targeting Dashain, Tihar and Chhath festivals. But, the move could not last longer as they stopped operation after the festivals. They also offered transport service free of cost during the festivals. Staffs of Nepal Police and Armed Police Force started plying the roads along various routes, including Lumbini-Tilaurakot circuit, Lumbini-Gautam Buddha International Airport-Belahiya-Devdaha, Lumbini-Buddha Chowk-Butwal's Golpark, among others.

Chairperson of Nepal Association of Travels and Tour Agents, Lumbini Province Rachana Panta viewed that abandoning the stranded vehicles that were received from foreign donors in a bid to promote tourism in Lumbini would deliver a negative message. Expressing her concern about the matter, she requested the LDT office bearers to hand over the operation of the stranded vehicles to the private sector. She said the LDT should monitor their operation.

"Their operation will last longer if the private sector is tasked with the responsibility of their operation," she opined.

"Nevertheless, it is not a good sign that these vehicles have been stranded for such a long time. They must be operated by formulating required laws."

LDT treasurer Dhundi Raj Bhattarai said the tourism ministry of the federal government had been asked about its nod to convert the government vehicles (vehicles bearing white coloured number plates) into tourist ones (vehicles bearing green coloured number plates).

"The regulatory body should open the door to convert the government vehicles into tourist ones. For this, we have written to the ministry to take necessary initiative. However, there has been a delay on the part of the ministry. So, we are discussing to take the matter up with the provincial government and get a decision to this effect."

Operation of the vehicles was successfully tested six months ago," he said. "We have examined the condition of these vehicles and the roads they ply. They can operate within the Greater Lumbini Area without any hindrance," he added.