Free Parking in Kathmandu Valley from Friday

With more than 12 million registered vehicles in Kathmandu Valley, every owner of a car or a motorbike is worried about parking his/her vehicle in the busy city. Also, several so called clubs, at different public spaces, charge parking fee leaving the vehicles unorganized and make things more complex. But the good news for people with vehicles in the valley is that starting this Friday, Kathmandu will have several places where you can park your vehicles for free of cost.

The authorised parking lots, as per Kathmandu Metropolitan City include Piukha New Road, Shukrapath, New Road Stupa, Dharahara-Sundhara, Khichhapokhari (in-front of Everest Bank), Pako Pipalbot, Dharmapath, Pako Photo Concern to Ranmuteswhor, inside RB complex, Durbarmarg, New Baneshwor Chowk-1, Shankar Dev Campus, Kamaladi Khanepani, Naxal Balmandir, in-front of Tribhuwan International Airport Gate and Khulla Manch, among others.

This came to be effective with the dismissal of writ against the Kathmandu Metropolitan City’s proposal of launching free parking scheme by Patan Appellate Court. The writ was listed by Parking Entrepreneurs, saying that the Metropolitan Board’s decision was unauthorized and it would leave several industrialists remaining unemployed. The writ was recorded by the Coordinator of Jay Bangalamukhi Suppliers, Binod Shakya, saying that the decision was taken without a proceeding meet of City Council. The interim directive given on 13 December has been withdrawn today with the concluding trial jointly steered by judge duo Shivaraj Regmi and Hari Prasad Bagale.

A short-term scheme to be effective from 16 December was proposed by Kathmandu Metropolitan City, which was pending after the listing of writ by the Parking Entrepreneurs. The trial was shifted on Thursday, after the preceding hearing scheduled on Monday was adjourned. The appellate court endorsed a notice of protest with an interim directive addressing Metropolitan Board on 13 December.

Mahesh Kafle, Head of revenue division at Kathmandu Metropolitan City, said that there would be free parking facility at public spaces of the valley. He also said that those found taking parking fee from vehicle owners would be subjected to punishment.

With free parking, will the authorities be able to manage the Parking facilities around Kathmandu?