Hanumandhoka entry fee hiked for tourists

Kathmandu, July 19

Kathmandu Metropolitan City has increased the entry fee to Hanumandhoka Durbar Square for tourists from SAARC countries.

The Financial Act, 2017 approved by KMC Municipal Assembly on July 15 stated that SAARC nationals will be charged Rs 500 each as entry fee to the UNESCO World Heritage Site with immediate effect. Earlier, the entry fee to Hanumandhoka for SAARC nationals was Rs 150. However, the entry fee of Rs 1,000 remains unchanged for tourists from countries other than SAARC.

According to the act, Rs 250 collected from each tourist will go to Hanumandhoka Durbar Museum Development Committee. Similarly, fee for using Hanumandhoka precincts for film shoots has also become dearer. Fee for using the historical precincts for filming of any international movie has been increased to Rs 55,000 from Rs 50,000 per day. Likewise, SAARC countries and Nepal will be charged Rs 35,000 and Rs 20,000 each for film shoots. For filming of Nepali music video, concerned producer shall pay Rs 5,000 per day.

“In case of any movie — international, SAARC and Nepali — to be made in mother tongue will be charged only 10 per cent of the payable tax,” it said. The act has also prescribed fines for any one encroaching on roads and footpaths prohibited for parking and selling goods.

“Bicycles and pushcarts used for selling goods, fruits and vegetables will be imposed a fine of Rs 1,000 and Rs 1,500 each. Similarly, street vendors and tea sellers will be fined Rs 500 each.

KMC has also fixed a fine ranging from Rs 1,000 to Rs 10,000 for motor vehicles parked in unauthorised places. “Motorcycle will be fined Rs 1,000 while vehicle with a capacity of up to 1,000 cc will have to pay a fine of Rs 5,000; vehicle of 1,000 to 1,500 cc Rs 7,000; and vehicle of 1,500 to 2,200 cc or above Rs 10,000,” read the act.  Property (house and land) tax, land tax, rental tax, business tax, ad tax, entertainment tax, vehicle tax and service fee, among others, have also been revised.

KMC has scrapped free parking system and said a fee of Rs 15, Rs 40 and Rs 120 per hour would be collected from two-wheeler, four-wheeler and six-wheeler each along the Teku Bridge-Naya Bazaar-Samakhusi-Dhapasi-Maharajgunj-Chappal Karkhana stretch. Additional five rupees have been fixed for all types of motor vehicles parked in core city areas.