Biratnagar, January 20:

King Gyanendra and Queen Komal are scheduled to return to Kathmandu on Sunday after completion of a 22-day-long informal tour of the eastern development region of the country.

The royal couple’s visit to the region concluded today, the Eastern Division Headquarters of the Royal Nepalese Army in Itahari said.

The divisional headquarters also said the royal couple may visit Biratnagar tomorrow.

The King and the Queen arrived in the RNA headquarters on January 1 for the informal visit.

They visited Taplejung, Panchthar and Ilam in the Mechi Zone, Sankhu-wasabha, Bhojpur and Tehrathum in the Koshi zone and Khotang, Okhaldhunga and Soluk-humbu in the Sagarmatha zone.

The royal couple also visited Siraha, Itahari, Dharan, Damak, Budhasubba, Pindeshwor, Laru-mba of Ilam and the Pathivara temple in Taplejung during their visit to the region.

King Gyanendra provided Rs 2.5 million each to seven districts of the eastern development region for varius development works during the informal visit.