POKHARA: The ‘Mayor Conference’ of all metropolitan cities of the country is taking place from today in Pokhara.

Pokhara Metropolitan City is organising the event that will see participation of mayors, deputy mayors and chief administrative officers from all six metropolitan cities in the country.

The two-day Metro Meet Nepal will have discussions on existing laws and needed reforms for the operation of the metropolitan cities along with experiences sharing of the leaders, Mayor of Pokhara Metropolitan City Dhan Raj Acharya said. Mayors of Lalitpur Metropolitan City Chiribabu Maharjan and Rajesh Man Singh of Birgunj Metropolitan City arrived in Pokhara on Thursday evening while others are arriving by this morning, Mayor Acharya added.

The roles to be played to hold the metropolitan cities accountable and issues of common interests would be discussed in the Metro Meet in a fruitful way, Mayor Acharya hoped.

The event is expected to issue Pokhara Declaration by incorporating recommendations to submit to the authorities concerned.

Mayors of Pokhara, Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Bharatpur, Lalitpur and Birgunj are scheduled to put their views along with their cities’ key priorities and challenges in the first day.

Likewise, former National Planning Commission vice-chairman Dr Jagdish Chandra Pokharel and infrastructure expert Dr Surya Raj Acharya would make their separate presentations in the conference.