Kathmandu, Oct. 12 -- The application for new driving licences has been suspended since the Department of Transport Management was set on fire on September 9 during the Gen Z protests.

The department estimates that about 18,000 of 22,000 printed licences were destroyed, with only 3,000 recovered intact.

Director Keshav Khatiwada said the exact number of licences destroyed cannot be confirmed until the system is restored. "We currently estimate 18,000 licences were burnt or lost. Accurate data will be available once the system is operational," he said.

Licences prepared for dispatch to various transport offices were also destroyed in the fire. The department had been printing licences through an expedited process for those travelling ab...