Kathmandu, November 2
The Kathmandu Valley will have to live under a curfew-like situation on November 2, thanks to security measures that the government is putting in place to welcome India’s President Pranab Mukherjee.
Traffic Police have imposed a ban on free movement of vehicles along different routes and told road users to take alternative routes. This suggestion notwithstanding, they are unlikely to let vehicles ply within the Ring Road, with TP officials themselves admitting there’s no chance of letting private and public vehicles move in view of movement, throughout the day, of VIPs and VVIPs.
The Ring Road, the valley’s lifeline, will look like an area under curfew. Lokendra Bahadur Malla, spokesperson for Metropolitan Traffic Police Division, said they will impose a ban, even on pedestrians’ movement when Mukherjee is moving around town.
Mukherjee’s carcade will be equipped with jammers, meaning telephone connection will not be available within 100-metres of the carcade.
The government has declared November 2 a public holiday in a bid to arrrange security and ease traffic management during Mukherjee’s day of arrival. But this will affect many people, who will be arriving in Kathmandu after celebrating Dashain and Tihar.
