Vehicle-free Asan

A bustling open-air market square where traditional Newari architecture welcomes a tide of vendors and shoppers, Asan is a historic area of Kathmandu. Situated at the heart of the capital of Nepal, it is a commercial, religious and cultural hub. It is located at a strategic junction where six major streets converge. Since ancient times, it has served as a vital trading post and continues to do so even today. However, despite its commercial importance, it is an area where the traffic rules are upended. Due to its narrow lanes, it sees vehicles navigating the lanes narrowly, evading pedestrians. 

Meanwhile, pedestrians have to watch their steps lest they collide with the vehicles. Opportunely, Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has made a critical decision to make Asan vehicle-free on Saturdays at a time when Kathmandu valley is grappling with overcrowding, pollution and haphazard traffic. From now onwards, residents of Kathmandu and even tourists and visitors can easily walk the streets of Asan on Saturdays. Saturdays are a public holiday in Nepal and it is a time when people conduct their weekly grocery shopping along with necessary clothing and accessories purchases.

Without a doubt, Asan is Kathmandu’s most diverse marketplace where one can buy spices and herbs, ritual items, textiles and garments along with daily essentials such as fresh produce and specialised kitchenware that can hardly be found in the modern supermarkets. Visitors of Kathmandu make sure to visit Asan for souvenirs and essentials. Thus, it functions as an accessible and affordable marketplace. However, it has had a persistent and pestering problem of overcrowding, made worse by the deluge of vehicles amid a lack of wider roads. The sea of crowd in Asan has to part every now and then with the traffic of vehicles. 

Now on Saturdays, vehicles will be banned in areas from Kamalakshi Chowk to Asan, Bhotahiti Chowk to Asan and from Mahabouddha to Asan. As the capital city of Nepal, Kathmandu is the main hub for the nation. Tourists pour in here in great numbers and the art, architecture and culture of this city stand out as a major attraction. However, like most capital cities of developing nations, Kathmandu faces overcrowding and unmanaged traffic which can be a negative factor for tourists and even the residents. 

Asan stands out in Kathmandu with its proximity to the tourist’s hub, Thamel and historic Kathmandu Durbar Square, which is why it is all the more essential to manage the crowd and traffic in this area. It could not just help bolster tourism but also facilitate the lives of Kathmanduites as they flock the area to shop, wander and stroll. Besides its architecture and marketplace, Asan is also a key transit point for the great traditional and religious chariot festivals such as Indra Jatra and Seto Machhindranath Jatra. 

Likewise, during Asan Chalan (the day after Vijaya Dashami), the vicinity of Asan becomes a stage for the palanquin procession of Annapurna Ajima. This significant site is at its most appealing during the mornings when vendors set up stalls as visitors mill around the premises. And from now on, Saturdays in Asan will mean a vehicle-free shopping experience along with a pleasant stroll, as visitors take in the street foods and bustling ambience of this historic place.