Nepal Food Corporation (NFC) on Sunday padlocked Manoj Driving—which has been operating a driving school on NFC’s land in Bhadrakali, Kathmandu—after the latter failed to vacate the land even after the expiration of the rental agreement.

NAC said it took the step after its requests to authorities concerned, including the Nepal Police, to get the land vacated went unheard.

NFC had leased out the seven-ropani plot to Manoj Driving on October 3, 2012, for two years at Rs35,555 per month. The rental agreement expired some four months ago.

“We padlocked the driving centre ourselves following the concerned authorities’ reluctance to take action despite our repeated requests,” said NFC General Manager Gokul Prasad Dhital.

He said the District Administration Office (DAO), Kathmandu, at NFC’s request, wrote to Metropolitan Police Range, Teku, to get the land vacated on December 21.

Before padlocking, the corporation had also written to the tenant to immediately close its business, but the company refused to do so. “If the driving centre is found operating its business again by breaking the lock, we will file a case against it,” said Dhital.

Around a month ago, the Supplies Ministry, using police force, had got the plot vacated, but the driving school reopened the very next day. After that, the ministry had even recalled the then general manager of NFC Shivahari Shrestha charging him with incompetence and possibly colluding with companies that have been overstaying their lease.

Although NFC seems to have taken stern stand on Manoj Driving, it is slow in getting vacated its 33 ropanies of land rented by a Chinese company. 

The Chinese firm had rented the plot in 2011 to run an agricultural business at Rs80,000 per month. However, the company has not been running such business on the land plot.

Dhital said they would also take action against the Chinese company after settling the case with Manoj Driving. He said NFC has cut off electricity supply line to the business owned by the Chinese firm.