Business shutdown: New Road area entrepreneurs protest against parking ban
While vehicle parking was permitted in the New Road area previously, the Metropolitan Corporation's recent decision to enforce the prohibition led to business owners closing their shutters in protest.
KATHMANDU: Following the prohibition of parking in the New Road area of Kathmandu by the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC), the businessmen staged a protest by shutting down their shops.
While vehicle parking was permitted in the New Road area previously, the Metropolitan Corporation’s recent decision to enforce the prohibition led to business owners closing their shutters in protest.
Kumar Karki, Chair of the Nepal National Business Association, expressed concern, stating that the Metropolitan Corporation’s removal of parking was done in an unscientific manner, causing trouble for business owners. “Prohibiting parking is adding to the challenges at a time when businesses are already facing a downturn,” he remarked.
In response to the congestion issues in the New Road area, the KMC initiated the removal of parked vehicles. Raghunath Pandey, Chief of police of KMC, said that the decision was made to ease congestion in the area.
“To accommodate those who need to go to New Road, we have provided free parking facilities at Kathmandu Tower (formerly old bus park),” he mentioned. The metropolitan estimates that the old bus park area can accommodate 300 four-wheelers and 700 two-wheelers.
The Metropolitan Municipality also conducted special cleaning activities in the areas where parking was prohibited starting from this morning.
