Kathmandu, April 14:

Creaking under the rigours of curfew and bandhs, and groaning under the burden of deaths in police firing at demonstrators and clashes between police and protesters, for Kathmanduites this time the advent of New Year was a sombre occasion.

The demonstrations, protests and clashes in the City at the end of the year 2062; over a week of night curfew, bandhs and heightened security affected the celebration mood, resulting in cancellation and postponement of scheduled programmes and events for the New Year.

The Twenty-three Business Solutions Pvt Ltd — an event management company which had planned to bring in the Bombay Vikings at the Hotel Soaltee bash and a gala at Dashrath Stadium on New Year’s eve and today shelved the idea.

MD Karan Rawal said over 9,000 tickets had been sold. “In view of the protests and curfew imposed subsequently, we had to postpone the events. We can rearrange the event when favourable circumstances return here, but it is not easy to arrange the dates with artistes in Bollywood.”

Hotels and restaurants also missed out on additional business. Hotel De L’ Annapurna which had organised one of the biggest parties last New Year’s eve featuring DJ Akhil from India, this time went low-key. Talking to this daily, Anup Thapa, assistant Food and Beverage manager of the hotel said, “Since the celebration entirely depends on the present security situation, the hotel did not offer any event in this year and had just regular business.”

Chetan Acharya of Swift Services International (SSI) said, “Overall the year 2062 did good business in terms of organising events and parties. But business started going down by the end of the year.”

SSI was planning to introduce Pia Trivedi, video jockey of Channel V at Hotel De L’ Annapurna. “We have thought of waiting until the third week of Baisakh to reorganise the event,” Acharya said. Even the Central Zoo in Jawalakhel — a favourite centre for most families to celebrate within the capital also witnessed fewer visitors this New Year.

According to Radha Krishna Gharti, duty officer at the zoo, ticket sales showed that only 15,723 visitors turned up. Last New Year, the zoo had 25,000 visitors.