A civic felicitation preparation committee has been formed under the chairmanship of Hem Bikram Thapa to welcome Their Majesties King Gyanendra and Queen Komal on behalf of the people of the far western region encompassing nine districts,  the RSS said. The dates for the visit were not mentioned.

An official announcement of the proposed visit has not been made. Such committees have been formed in other parts of the kingdom. People of the eastern region gave the Royal Couple a rousing reception in Biratnagar- the first such reception for the King and Queen after the King’s accession to the Throne on June 4, 2001.

The Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML kept away from the Biratanagar reception protesting the visit. The districts are severely affected by a communist insurgency and some districts there, notably Rolpa, Rukum and Jajarkot, are bases for rebel underground activities; insurgents have training camps and shelters there.