POKHARA: Pokhara Metropolitan City has announced a plan to remove workshops, garages and similar structures operating along major roads and highways within the city, giving operators a 35-day deadline to relocate.
Issuing a public notice, the metropolis said the decision applies to workshops and scrap collection centres located along highway corridors and key urban roads. The affected stretches include the right side of the Prithvi Highway from Kotre to Setipul, the Siddhartha Highway from Chhorepatan to Prithvi Chowk, and the Pokhara–Baglung road section from Zero Kilometer to Phedi.
According to the metropolitan office, workshops, scrap centres, car wash facilities and grill industries operating on road shoulders, shutters and vacant plots along major roads have been creating traffic obstructions and undermining urban aesthetics.
Mayor Dhanraj Acharya said such activities have also negatively affected environmental cleanliness in the city. “These enterprises are creating adverse impacts on traffic flow, urban beauty and environmental hygiene. The notice has been issued to manage them in alternative locations,” he said.
The metropolis has also urged hardware stores, depots and other businesses operating in designated areas not to keep construction materials, signboards or other items on sidewalks and road spaces.
Mayor Acharya warned that legal action would be taken in accordance with prevailing laws if businesses continue to operate or store materials in restricted areas despite the notice.
The city has appealed to residents to support the campaign to remove workshops and similar enterprises from highway and main road areas, stating that public cooperation is essential for effective implementation.
Unregulated parking and garages directly connected to main roads in Pokhara’s core market areas have long been identified as major causes of traffic congestion. Vehicles brought for repair are often parked or repaired on the road itself, narrowing carriageways and worsening traffic jams, the metropolis noted.
The removal drive is part of Pokhara Metropolitan City’s broader effort to improve traffic management, road safety and the overall urban environment.
Comment