KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 4

Kathmandu Metropolitan City has served a 24-hour ultimatum to traders to vacate shops that are illegally operated around the historical temples in Ason, Indrachowk, and Bhedasingh.

The move comes after Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balendra Shah's bold move to clear basement parking, remove illegal hoardings and signboards, and collect tax dues from business firms.

These places are situated in ward 25 of the metropolis.

Ward Chair Rajesh Shakya said a public notice was posted in Ason, Indrachowk and Bhedasingh, directing traders to remove such shops that have adverse impacts on the aesthetics of the shrines.

As per the public notice, dozens of clothing, utensil, and pottery shops, among others, will be cleared from the temple premises for beautification of Kathmandu's core areas and to create more space for pedestrians, visitors and foreign tourists.

'We hope the traders will vacate the illegally operated shops that encroach the temples and heritages by tomorrow. If they ignore the public notice, we will remove the shops in association with Nepal Police and City Police on Tuesday,' Shakya said.

These encroachments are mainly around Santaneshwor Mahadev temple in Indrachowk, Shree Bhavani Shankar temple and Uma Shankar temple in Ason area.

Aesthetic, and cultural and religious values of the historical areas have been impacted by unauthorised traders that have been let loose for years.

A version of this article appears in the print on September 5, 2022 of The Himalayan Times.