January 11: The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has banned selling goods on bicycles and hand carts along the roadsides of the metropolis.

Issuing a public notice on Tuesday, the KMC said such activities have been banned with immediate effect.

The notice states that the unauthorized business on the roads have caused traffic disruption and therefore the KMC decided to act against the roadside vendors who use bicycles and hand carts to sell goods.

The metropolis made it clear that using public roads for business and selling goods on bicycles or carts is against the law.

The KMC has warned that people involved in such activities will face action if they do not abide by the law.

"If any business is conducted on the road or other public place within the Kathmandu Metropolitan City, or if the sidewalks are used or occupied without authorization, such goods and other materials used to keep the goods for business purposes will be confiscated," reads the notice.

The metropolis has stepped up its efforts to crackdown on illegal street-side business ever since Balendra Shah was elected as the new mayor of KMC last year. While a section of society has praised Shah for his efforts to clean up the city and make it more organized, others have cried foul saying that their livelihood has been threatened by the actions of the KMC.

The street vendors recently organized a mass protest against the highhandedness of the KMC.