Kathmandu, April 26: Authorities have stepped up a campaign to remove settlements built through land encroachment in different parts of Kathmandu. As part of the drive, settlements at three locations within Kathmandu Metropolitan City were cleared on Saturday.
The cleared areas include a settlement along the Bagmati riverbank in Thapathali (Ward No. 11), the Gairigaun–Sinamangal area in Ward No. 9, and Shantinagar in Ward No. 31.
According to Bishnu Prasad Joshi, chief of the Kathmandu Metropolitan Police, both temporary and permanent structures built on encroached public land were demolished using bulldozers. He said work in Thapathali was completed quickly due to fewer permanent structures, while demolition in Gairigaun–Sinamangal took longer and continued late into the night because of the higher number of concrete houses.
Following government directives, a joint team from Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, and the metropolitan police assisted affected residents throughout the day in safely relocating people and their belongings before demolition began.
Although the settlements have been cleared, debris from demolished structures still lies scattered in the area, causing some difficulty in movement, according to locals. The metropolitan office has said it will gradually remove the debris and clean the sites.
Data from the Kathmandu Valley Development Authority show that a significant number of landless families had been living in encroached areas across the capital. The figures indicate 143 families in Thapathali, 162 in Gairigaun, 77 in Gothatar, 476 in Shantinagar, and 13 in Manohara Tol, bringing the total to 871 families.
The government has prioritized protecting public land and managing riverbank areas, linking the campaign with urban beautification, environmental protection, and long-term urban planning. Still, concerns are growing over the resettlement and management of displaced families, with stakeholders stressing the need for organized housing alternatives as a long-term solution.
Meanwhile, no obstruction or clashes were reported during the clearance in Thapathali, Gairigaun, and Sinamangal. However, in the squatter settlement along the Manohara River in Bhaktapur, residents resisted the demolition effort. Police said 22 security personnel were injured in the incident.
Among the injured were Deputy Superintendent of Police Navaraj Dhungana from the Madhyapur Thimi Police Circle, along with 11 Nepal Police personnel and 11 Armed Police personnel deployed from APF Battalion No. 22, Duwakot, according to Armed Police Superintendent Basudev Mahat.
He said security personnel were attacked with stones, bricks, and bottles during the demolition in the Manohara settlement.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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