Kathmandu, April 4 -- When the workers of Kathmandu Metropolitan City made a loudspeaker announcement to vacate the shops north of Juddha Fire Brigade Office at Kathmandu Durbar Square recently, Bhim Nidhi Adhikari was shocked and confused.

The 39-year-old has been selling pashmina products from one of the shops in the area for the past 15 years. He said the City had not issued any formal notice to the local shop owners about its evacuation plan.

"The City workers arrived unannounced and told us to vacate our shops. We have been doing business here after fulfilling all legal parameters," Adhikari said. How can the City order us to remove our shops without any justification?"

Adhikari said he has invested more than Rs4.5 million in his ...