[8] As one of the first moves upon taking office, Shah introduced live telecasts of municipal council meetings, marking the first time such a practice was implemented in the city.
[13] He also clashed with Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, after the mayor's office removed the construction materials including wire fencing on the grounds of Tribhuvan International Airport, that were built without proper approval from the city.
[16] Balen's office issued a 7-day public notice to vacate landless squatters on the river banks, which led to a conflict between the residents and the municipal police during the slum demolition attempt.
[18] Education Kathmandu Metro under Mayor Balen launched 'Textbook-free-Friday' program in community schools which aimed at helping students learn technical skills and engage in other extracurricular activities.
[19] The Kathmandu Municipal Government, led by Shah, has faced criticism from organizations like Human Rights Watch due to allegations of employing disproportionate use of force against street vendors.
[20] His policies have also led to the emergence of small-scale protests by social activists, triggered by the circulation of videos showing the municipal police chasing down, beating and confiscating vendors' properties.
[21] Critics of Shah's crackdown on street vendors argue that since nearly half of the country's economy relies on informal businesses, such actions adversely impact the standard of living of the urban poor without offering viable alternative solutions.
[22] In September 2023, the political activist known as Iih stood for 199 hours outside Kathmandu City Hall, urging the mayor to allow street vendors to conduct business without interference until an alternative solution could be proposed.
He also argued that restricting street vendors does not effectively address poverty and expressed concern about the injustice faced by those whose property had been confiscated during road expansion initiatives of the city.
The protest concluded with an agreement between Kathmandu Metropolitan City and Iih, aiming to develop an alternative plan for street vendors, temporary permits for specific areas and times, and the return of confiscated goods to their owners.
[4][8] His campaign focused on waste management, road traffic control, public service delivery, anti-corruption, and preservation of cultural heritage of the city.