CCTV Installation Made Mandatory for Taxis, Tempos, and Buses; 160 Public Buses Equipped So Far

June 5, Kathmandu – Since the new government took office, CCTV and dashcams have been installed in 160 public buses.

According to a progress report released by the Ministry of Infrastructure Development, the highest number of these camera installations have been made in Sajha Yatayat buses. A total of 111 Sajha buses now have CCTV cameras installed.

The ministry has informed that among these, 71 are diesel buses and 40 are electric buses. In addition, 46 metropolitan transport buses have been equipped with such cameras. Of these, 25 operate within the Kathmandu Valley while 21 serve routes outside the valley.

The ministry also stated that three buses of Panchpokhari Sunalo Yatayat have CCTV and dashcams installed. Up to now, such cameras have been fitted in 160 public vehicles, with installations on others currently underway.

Traffic police are responsible for monitoring these installations, as per the ministry. To this end, the ministry has approved and implemented standards aimed at making public transport safe, regulated, technologically equipped, and accessible.

According to these standards, it is now mandatory for all vehicles—from taxis and tempos to large buses—to have CCTV cameras installed. This directive was part of the government’s announcement in the cabinet-approved 100-point reform agenda on March 26, 2026 (Nepali calendar 13 Chaitra 2082).

The standards target equipping public vehicles with security devices and technologies. After installation, the presence of cameras must be clearly indicated in both Nepali and English languages. Emergency information buttons (SOS) must also be easily accessible to passengers inside the vehicle.

Electronic Location Tracking Now Compulsory

Passenger, tourist, and freight vehicles must install electronic location tracking devices that meet specified standards. These devices should continuously determine, record, and transmit geographical position, speed, and direction using the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS).

The technology must include battery backup, tamper logging, and store-and-forward capabilities. Devices must be installed by vehicle owners or service providers registered with the Department of Transport Management.

After installation, a certificate documenting vehicle number, device type, international mobile equipment identity, installer identity, installation date, and other departmental requirements must be issued. The device must not be tampered with, disabled, or obstruct data transmission by any party, including vehicle owners, managers, or drivers.

Failure to install the device will result in the vehicle failing inspection and disqualification from receiving road permits.

Which Equipment Is Mandatory for Which Public Vehicles?

Clean tempos and taxis must be fitted with front dashcams and cabin cameras as part of a security monitoring system. An emergency SOS button must be installed within the driver’s reach and one in the center of the passenger cabin.

Tourist vehicles, buses, microbuses, minibuses, jeeps/vans, pickups, and similar public transport must have front and rear dashcams as part of their security monitoring systems.

Furthermore, these vehicles must include a driver monitoring system capable of detecting driver attention lapses, drowsiness, distraction, or negligence and issue appropriate alerts.

Emergency SOS buttons accessible to both drivers and passengers are also mandatory for these vehicles. The standards specify the number of cameras required for each vehicle type.

For freight vehicles, data collection and transmission head units, front dashcams, reverse assist cameras to support drivers when reversing, driver monitoring systems, and axle load measurement instruments for recording weight on each axle must be installed.

Fire Extinguisher and First Aid Kits Required

All vehicles except clean tempos and taxis must carry mandatory fire extinguishers and first aid kits. The quantity and type of these safety items varies depending on the vehicle class and seating capacity.

These safety materials must be stored in locations easily visible and accessible to both drivers and passengers inside the vehicle. Drivers and conductors must receive basic training and information on the use of these materials, as stipulated in the standards.

Exceptions Under Specific Circumstances

The Department of Transport Management may grant exemptions from these equipment requirements for specific vehicle categories. This includes environmentally friendly or electric vehicles, and clean tempos aimed at promoting sustainable transport.

Exemptions may also be provided to small vehicle owners or operators requiring transitional support or when technology installation is not feasible for certain vehicle classes.

Consequences for Non-Compliance Include Route Permit Cancellation

Vehicles failing to have the prescribed devices installed will fail inspection and will not be issued the mandatory inspection certificate. Without this certificate, a vehicle cannot obtain road permits.

As a result, vehicles lacking the required equipment will be barred from operating on their routes. For vehicles that have already been granted route permits, the standards include provisions allowing those permits to be revoked if compliance is not met.