Chhimi Dema 

The Road Safety and Transport Authority (RSTA) has extended deadline for the renewal of vehicles documents until March 31 to address crowding and to clear the backlog.

More than 200 individuals queue to avail registration certificate, fitness certificate and driving license every day at the Changlimithang parking lot.

RSTA director, Tashi Dawa, said that people were worried that they could be fined for late renewal of their documents. “So we have extended the deadline.”

New registration is conducted at the Thimphu’s regional office.

Tashi Dawa said: “Depending on the demand of services, RSTA might open service counters in other places.”

A taxi driver from Thimphu said that he had to wait for more than four hours to renew his registration certificate. “When we make an online payment, the system does not generate payment acknowledgement receipt. That is why there is a huge crowd.”

Tashi Dawa said that system the huge payment flow caused system jam. “We are trying to expand the carrying capacity of the system.”

RSTA’s chief regional transport officer, Prem P Adhikari, said that the regional office was providing about 55 percent of the RSTA’s services. “The demand for services is highest in Thimphu because most of the government agencies and corporate offices are located in Thimphu.”

Tashi Dawa said that the issuance of driving licence would resume in the coming week.