The Kathmandu District Administration Office and the National Federation of the Valley Transport Entrepreneurs made the decision on Tuesday after the Parliamentary Committee on Social Justice and Human Rights asked the government to address the issues of the agitating elderly more than three weeks ago.

Maha Prasad Parajuli, chairman of the Elderly Citizens’ Struggle Committee, welcomed the decision and thanked the Chief District Officer Ek Narayan Aryal on Wednesday. “Kathmandu has finally decided to implement the law. Now, we want the rest of the nation to follow suit,” Parajuli said.

According to the Senior Citizens Act 2006, two seats in every public vehicle should be reserved for the elderly and they should be granted 50 percent concession on fare. But the law has been interpreted differently by stakeholders. The government and the transport committees understand that the concession on fare applies to only two senior citizens sitting on the reserved seats.

On Tuesday, Aryal also conceded to one of the protestors’ other demands: creation of separate lines for citizens above the age of 60 in temples as well as in offices where pay their water, electricity and other bills.

Parajuli, however, said the protest would continue as their demands are addressed only by the local administration in Kathmandu. The other demands of the senior citizens include free medical treatment in public hospitals and increment of the social security allowance from Rs 500 a month to Rs 3,000.