Grappling with massive traffic chaos, Nepal has introduced a unique way to tackle the issue ahead of the SAARC summit by restricting plying of private vehicles bearing odd registration numbers today and barring those with even numbers tomorrow.
The schools and other government institutions will remain close on Wednesday and Thursday -- the two days when 18th SAARC summit will take place in the capital where Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other leaders of the member countries of the regional grouping will participate.
"Vehicles having odd registration number are not allowed to ply today while vehicles having even numbers will not be allowed to run tomorrow," a Nepal government official said.
The traffic moves very slowly during office-going hours and in the evening and authorities have been struggling to improve vehicular movement as top bureaucrats from the SAARC nations have started descending on the capital since Saturday.
Ahead of the summit meeting, the local administration has been gearing up for the mega event, carrying out a cleanliness drive and decorating the main road from the airport to the venue of the summit.
Colourful banners and hoardings comprising photographs of Modi as well as other leaders of the SAARC nations have been put up across the city.
Foreign Secretaries of all the SAARC member countries started their two-day deliberations yesterday.
The meeting yesterday discussed a number of issues to enhance cooperation in areas of information and communications technology, transport, energy security, agriculture, rural development and food security.
They also discussed issues relating to environment, climate change, natural disaster, healthcare and education.
After the meeting of the Foreign Secretaries, a report will be submitted to the meeting of SAARC Council of Ministers to be held tomorrow.
Modi is scheduled to arrive here tomorrow to participate in the two-day SAARC summit.
He has been batting for making the SAARC a strong platform to address various challenges facing the region.
