The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) on Tuesday handed over 50 sets of wheel locker to the Metropolitan Traffic Police Division (MTPD) to mark the 25th anniversary of KMC’s city police. 

Mayor Bidya Sundar Shakya handed over the equipment to MTPD chief SSP Sarbendra Khanal, which will be used to lock the vehicles parked haphazardly on the roads of the metropolis.

Haphazard parking in core areas of the city has been contributing to traffic chaos, creating difficulties for pedestrians as well as making it difficult for the MTPD to ensure smooth movement of vehicles on the Capital’s narrow roads.

Speaking at the programme, Mayor Shakya also hailed the role of KMC’s city police in helping ease Kathmandu’s traffic by controlling haphazard parking and roadside vendors.

The KMC currently deploys 125 city police personnel in various parts of the Capital on daily basis, while it has recruited 67 new cops who are undergoing training, according to Bishnu Prasad Joshi, chief of KMC’s city police. “Now our total strength is 192 and we hope to mobilise them in a more effective way to make the metropolis a safer and better city,” said Joshi.

On his part, SSP Khanal laid stress on the need to make Kathmandu’s roads pedestrian-friendly by removing street vendors.

Kathmandu Deputy Mayor Hari Prabha Khadgi also lauded the contribution of city police in managing the city.