Hoteliers Demand Opening Narayangadh Market Round the Clock

Business entrepreneurs of Chitwan have demanded that Narayangadh market be open 24 hours a day. Stakeholders made auch a demand during the 28th annual general meeting of the Hotel Entrepreneurs Association, Chitwan, held in Narayanghat on Saturday.

At the event, Chiranjivi Subedi, the acting president of the Industry Association Chitwan, emphasized the need for hotels to operate 24 hours a day, especially since the 'Bharatpur Visit Year 2024' is ongoing. He also suggested that the government should grant tax relief to businessmen, as some hotel operators have had to shut down their hotels due to the economic downturn.

Similarly, Imandu Baral, the former president of the Hotel Entrepreneurs Association, Chitwan, stated that the Pulchok area of Narayangadh should be kept open 24 hours a day. He noted some improvement in local hotels due to the Visit Bharatpur Year. Subedi mentioned that to facilitate industrialists and businesspeople, the association has set up a help desk at the Inland Revenue Office and requested to avoid double taxation.

He pointed out that there is a shortage of skilled manpower not only in the hotel sector but also in other industries.

Loknath Bhatt, the president of the Hotel Entrepreneurs Association, Chitwan, said that due to the shortage of manpower in the hotel sector, there is a compulsion to bring in workers from India.

He added, "Business is already limited, and there is also a lack of skilled manpower." 

He urged that the rent for businesses should be reduced by 20% and that businesspeople should not be intimidated under the guise of monitoring.

Dinesh Kumar Chuke, the president of the Hotel Entrepreneurs Federation, mentioned that there is currently a manpower shortage in all businesses. He proposed that a single-window system for training should be established to address this shortage.

Businesspeople reported that due to economic slowdown, 70% of shops in Narayangadh are on the brink of closure. They also complained that parking issues have contributed to a decline in business. There is a strong demand from businesspeople to organize and beautify the small, unorganized riverside hotels on the Narayani Riverbank and to develop them as a key feature of Narayangadh’s identity.

Currently, Narayangadh market is becoming disorganized due to parking issues. The Industry and Commerce Association, Chitwan, has been working on various solutions to address the problems faced by business people and has expressed the need for the support of all businesses.

During the event, Renu Dahal, the mayor of Bharatpur Metropolitan City, acknowledged the crucial role of the private sector in making the Visit Bharatpur Year successful and assured that valid demands would be addressed. She mentioned that new destinations and businesses launched for the Visit Bharatpur Year have increased tourist attraction.

“In just one month of opening, 10,000 tourists have visited the Diyalo Bangla Palace,” she said, adding, “To achieve our goal, we need to promote the Visit Year from the border areas of Nepal and China.”

She also mentioned that a religious festival will be organized in the Nepali month of Kartik (mid-October to mid-November) to promote Visit Bharatpur Year. She assured that problems like parking should be solved through discussions among locals, businesspeople, and the metropolitan city.

The Hotel Entrepreneurs Association, Chitwan, is an umbrella organization of medium-sized hotel operators in Chitwan district. The association has over 2,000 hotels, excluding tourist-level hotels.