Kathmandu, November 13:

Prostitution has been a flourishing business in Thamel. That is old hat. The scope and the income of those working as pimps have been on the rise, if one who has been plying that trade in Thamel for six months is to be believed.

“It has been a fast moolah -minting business. If you maintain good contacts and arrange girls for customers, you can generate enough money from the business,” Jaya Maharjan, who hails from Chitawan, claimed.

Maharjan, who has been in the business for one year, said that they usually work from evening to late night.

According to Jagat Gurung of Sindhupalchowk, there are about 20-25 restaurants which are carrying out the flesh trade on the sly.

Around 100 people eking out a living from this business, he said.

Though some clients are regular, they often deal on the street to meet the right clients. “Clients themselves can’t deal with restaurant and bar girls who want to sleep with any guy for the sake of money,” Gurung said, adding that the girls also hesitate to agree to spend the night with a man at the first meeting.

There are also other reasons why this business is flourishing, if what pimps’ say is anything to go by. “If any client approaches a prostitute, he will have to pay more money. They can get a girl for half or less the money if they approach her through us,” one pimp said. “Price ranges from five hundred to five thousand in Thamel area,” he said “We get 30 to 40 per cent commission for arranging a girl.”

Police, however, say that they have no idea about it. “We have no knowledge about the shady business. We will immediately look into it and take them in custody,” Inspector Ashok Singh, inspector at the Sorakhutte Ward Police Office, said.