BIRATNAGAR: Denizens of Biratnagar are gearing up for a grand celebration in response to the government's announcement to upgrade the sub-metropolitan city into the metropolitan city.

The Cabinet meeting held on Monday evening had taken the decision to upgrade Biratnagar into a metropolitan city.

The local political party leaders, lawmakers, trade and social organisations had been lobbying for too long to designate the status to Biratnagar.

The Morang Chamber of Commerce and Industry will be organising a Deepawali celebration in Biratnagar this evening to mark the government's announcement. It has appealed to all the town dwellers to take part in the celebration.

The city currently has a total population of 214,000 which will be enlarged further with the merger of Tanki Sinubari village's population of around 20,000 and 8,000 more from Jahada-3.

The city's estimated population is expected to balloon to 240,000 with the merger of additional wards. The city currently has 19 wards.

Biratnagar, which has remained a hub of political and industrial progress, will now join a league of country's four metropolitan cities – Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bharatpur and Pokhara.