Pokhara, July 16

Honking has been banned in Pokhara-Lekhnath Metropolitan City in Kaski with effect from today as the metropolis has been declared a ‘no horn zone’.

The ban was imposed with the joint initiative of the metropolis and the District Traffic Police Office, Kaski, to curb

increasing noise pollution and cases of road accidents in the city.

According to the traffic office, more than 200,000 vehicles ply the roads of the metropolitan city on a daily basis.

The focal person for the campaign and an official at the metropolis, Ram Mani Adhikari said they had taken the initiative to minimise road accidents and noise pollution in the city.

He said they would launch an awareness and publicity campaign in the first 15 days and added that they would take stern action against those who did not comply with the new traffic rule.

District Traffic Police Office, Kaski, Chief Bishworaj Adhikari said there had been certain challenges in enforcing the rule .

“The metropolis needs to install CCTV cameras at major junctions, clear the pavements and remove roadside parking, manage traffic lights at different places, construct overhead bridges at the main bazaars, instal railings on the pavements, manage dividers on the road properly and increase the number of traffic police personnel, among other things, for effective execution of the rule,” said Adhikari.

Civil Society Kaski chairperson Ram Bahadur Poudel described the move as positive and said the metropolis was declared a ‘no horn zone’ as per the wish of the city denizens.

Meanwhile, Mayor of the metropolis Man Bahadur GC said they had printed boards with ‘No Horn Zone’ message, launched various publicity campaigns via media and printed stickers to be pasted on vehicles, among other activities, to make the campaign effective.

Transport entrepreneurs have, however, frowned upon the campaign. Pokhara Bus Entrepreneurs’ Committee, Prithvi Highway Bus Operators’ Committee, Gandaki Zonal Transport Entrepreneurs’ Association, among other bodies, have slammed the move, stating that the campaign has been introduced without preparations.