KATHMANDU, March 31: Local residents have expressed dissatisfaction with the decision to open Thamel, a major tourist destination in Kathmandu, 24 hours a day seven days a week.

After the instructions of Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane, the District Administration Office, Kathmandu, prepared to keep Thamel and Durbarmarg open round the clock. Now the local residents of the Thamel area are protesting against the decision. In a meeting on Saturday, the house owners of Thamel decided to submit a memorandum to the District Administration Office and concerned bodies against the decision to keep Thamel open 24 hours a day.

The former ward chairman of Kathmandu Metropolitan City-26 Bishambharlal Pradhan said that before deciding to open Thamel for 24 hours, the problems of this area should be studied. 

Sojeshman Malakar, a resident of Thamel, lamented that when the District Administration Office decided to open Thamel and Durbarmarg for 24 hours, the office prepared a code of conduct for the same without including the residents of these areas. He said that this decision will cause problems for the residents to sleep at night.

Khyamraj Tiwari, ward chairman of Kathmandu Metropolitan City Ward No. 26, said that it would be a problem to open Thamel 24 hours as it would cause problems to the local residents. He mentioned that the criteria for opening the 24-hour market should be ascertained first.

The District Administration Office, Kathmandu, has prepared a code of conduct to be followed by the businessmen, consumers and workers to operate the Thamel and Durbarmarg area round the clock. Similarly, a code of conduct has been prepared to be followed by entrepreneurs engaged in the entertainment business at night time.

The District Administration Office, Kathmandu, has included the issue of internal and external security arrangements for the market area operating at night time in the standards. 

It has been mentioned that a team under the coordination of the Assistant Chief District Officer will be formed to monitor, coordinate and facilitate regulation regarding whether or not the work has been done according to the standards.

The market area management committee, cleanliness of the business place, arrangement of transportation, receiving and addressing complaints and actions of workers have been included in the code of conduct and standards.

 
• Local_residents
 
• Thamel
 
• Durbarmarg