KATHMANDU, Jan. 18 -- The Department of Transport Management (DoTM) has halted the printing of smart driving licenses through Malika Incorporate after the firm was unable to complete the tasks within the given deadline.

As Malika Incorporate was able to print only around 360,000 smart licenses, the DoTM plans to print the remaining backlog of licenses on its own.

According to Information officer at the DoTM, Gokarna Prasad Upadhyaya, although they have printed more than 360,000 licenses till now we have just received around 180,000 smart licenses. "The remaining backlog of the licenses will be printed by the department itself using thermal technology." he said.

Upadhyaya said the department received around 7,200 applications for drivin...