Against the Kathmandu District Administration Office’s prohibitory orders banning gatherings of more than five people in and around the Tribhuvan International Airport, pro-monarchy groups are hell-bent on staging a mass welcome for former king Gyanendra Shah, who is scheduled to arrive in Kathmandu from Damak, Jhapa, on Friday.

The administration announced the restriction on Thursday, citing security concerns ahead of the planned welcome. Issuing a statement, Eshwor Raj Poudel, the Kathmandu chief district officer, said no formal request or prior approval for any of such mass events had been granted.

“Serious attention has been drawn to the public statements and social media posts by some political groups and organisations calling for rallies and gatherings around the airport on Friday,” reads the statement.

Stating that all forms of protest and public assembly—including rallies, sit-ins, and demonstrations—are prohibited from the airport’s Golden Gate entrance to the domestic and international terminals, surrounding roads, and parking areas, the Kathmandu administration has warned of legal actions against all violating the order.

The prohibitory order, however, seems to have no impact on organisers. They say they are determined to move ahead as planned.

Nabaraj Subedi, coordinator of the United People’s Movement Committee, a pro-monarch front, said the group would respect the restriction inside the airport while continuing with its original plan.

“The administration has imposed a prohibitory order inside the airport. We have planned to escort the [ex-] king to his residence via the roads outside the airport,” Subedi told the Post. “This will not have any impact on the election atmosphere.”

Leaders of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), along with notorious medical businessman Durga Prasain and other royalist figures, have recently called on supporters to gather in Kathmandu to welcome the former monarch. RPP Senior Vice-chair Rabindra Mishra also urged supporters via Facebook to give the former king a “grand welcome” upon his arrival.

Security agencies say they are preparing for the possibility of large crowds as monarchist groups plan to escort the former king from hte airport to his residence, Nirmal Niwas, in a road show.

However, officials from Nepal Police and the National Investigation Department say it remains difficult to estimate turnout because organisers have described the programme as a spontaneous gathering rather than a centrally coordinated mobilisation.

Pawan Kumar Bhattarai, spokesperson for the Kathmandu District Police, said authorities are still gathering information.

“Once we have an estimate of the turnout, we will decide how many security personnel need to be deployed,” he said, adding that police have not received information suggesting supporters are travelling to Kathmandu from outside the Valley for the event.

A similar event was organised on March 9 last year, when the former king returned to Kathmandu from Pokhara. Organisers claim more than 30,000 people attended, while official estimates placed participation at around 10,000.

Royalist supporters say this year’s gathering could be even larger, with people expected to join from various communities across the Kathmandu Valley, although organisations backing the monarchy have not issued formal calls at the same scale as last year.

The planned event comes at a politically sensitive moment. The Gen Z-led September protests ousted the KP Sharma Oli-led coalition government, and an interim government formed in their aftermath dissolved the House of Representatives. The snap parliamentary elections are being held on March 5.

With the roadshow scheduled just 20 days before polling, monarchist groups say they are alert to the possibility of infiltration by forces opposed to the elections seeking to disrupt the political environment.

“It is a well-known fact that one segment of society does not want the election,” a pro-monarchist said on condition of anonymity. “We are conscious of the need to ensure that others do not use our programme as a means to push their own agenda.”

Security agencies say the ban on airport gatherings is intended to prevent such risks while security personnel will remain alert to crowd buildup close to the airport.

The former king’s recent travels have also drawn attention. After going to Jhapa shortly after Tihar in late October, Gyanendra and former queen Komal Shah travelled to Siliguri, India, on December 17 for almost a week and later to Janakpur on January 12.

While the Janakpur visit was described as a pilgrimage, the purpose of his India tour is not clear. Gyanendra has visited India frequently in the past few years and is believed to maintain close ties with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Encouraged by last year’s rousing welcome, monarchist groups organised a demonstration at Tinkune in Kathmandu on March 28, declaring it the start of a “third people’s movement”. However, the protest turned violent, leaving two people dead, including a journalist, and resulting in attacks on public and private property as well as media houses.

In connection with the incident, Durga Prasain, along with RPP General Secretary Dhawal Shumsher Rana and Vice-chair Rabindra Mishra, were held in police custody for an extended period as organisers of the programme.

Royalists have, at various times, staged protests demanding the restoration of the monarchy abolished in 2008 following the second people’s movement of 2006 and calling to maintain Nepal as a Hindu state, among other issues.

After the setback, another attempt to revive the movement was made from May 28 under the leadership of the RPP, with the participation of various monarchist groups. But when those efforts failed to gain momentum, monarchist forces remained largely inactive for months.

Now, with the House of Representatives election approaching, royalist groups appear to be seeking to regain political mileage.