Kathmandu Begins Riverside Eviction Drive, Bulldozers Move In Amid Tight Security

Demolition drive of the squatters residing in riverside embankments of Kathmandu Valley has started from Saturday with no untoward incidents.

The eviction drive which was attempted by now Prime Minister Balendra Shah during his tenure as the Mayor of the capital- Kathmandu had failed due to the absence of cooperation from the federal government.

Previous attempt by Shah as the Mayor of Kathmandu on November 28, 2022 to clear the Thapathali settlement resulted in violent clash leaving 36 people injured, including the then municipal police chief.

Shah later sought support from multiple home ministers, including Narayankaji Shrestha and Rabi Lamichhane, for clearing the settlements. But it also didn't garner enough support for him.

But from early Saturday morning, bulldozers rolled through the encroached settlement deploying hundreds of security forces from the Kathmandu Metropolitan Police, the Nepal Police and the Armed Police Force.

Which areas are being targeted in the first phase of the Kathmandu eviction drive?

Residents were given ultimatum to relocate belongings, with some moving out as early as yesterday.

"It is a non-residential area. We had attempted to clear it last year as well before that as well we had been appealing them to leave the place. We are in the mission to vacate the illegal settlements from governmental lands," Bishnu Prasad Joshi, Chief of the Kathmandu Metropolitan Police told ANI as the eviction drive continued.

Authorities had already begun preliminary clearance efforts on Thursday as part of the eviction plan.

According to police, the first phase of the operation targets settlements in Thapathali, Manohara, and the Sinamangal-Gairigaun areas.

The eviction is being carried out in coordination with the District Administration Office, Kathmandu and the Kathmandu Metropolitan City, with security arrangements tightened since morning.

Shah has stated that the government will distinguish between encroachers and genuine squatters and has pledged to distribute land to eligible families.

The drive was initiated following instructions from Shah, who has said the move is part of efforts to address the squatter issue with a long-term solution.

Announcing his commitments on social media, the Prime Minister said, "We will complete the identification process for genuine squatters across the country and distribute land to them as soon as possible. This government is committed to providing a lasting solution to a problem that has persisted for years."

(With inputs from ANI)