Rumors of a Maoist “bandh,” or total strike, for 15 days in May are making the residents of Kathmandu nervous. Such strikes are growing out of favor even with the rural poor the Maoists are supposedly supporting because they place a heavy burden on them and many of the Maoists other actions strike directly at infrastructure that benefits the poor. If the 15-day bandh is announced, travel outside Kathmandu could be dangerous, and travel within the city by any motorized transit could also be risky, depending on how closely the strike is observed or enforced.
