In a bid to manage the flower trade ahead of the Laxmi Puja celebrations, Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) police have cracked down on street vendors.

The metropolitan police confiscated flowers from vendors operating on the streets and footpaths in the Indrachowk area.

As crowds surge to buy flowers for the festive occasion, Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Nepal Floriculture Association and Nepal Chamber of Commerce have jointly arranged designated four authorized locations—Bhrikutimandap, Airport-Tinkune, Handigaun, and Balaju Valley Cold Store—for concessional flower sales.

The intervention comes to prevent absurd price hikes as well as focus on domestic growers or indigenous flowers since the import of flowers every year during Tihar has been noted to be significant.