Kathmandu [Nepal], April 25 (ANI): A demolition drive to clear squatters from riverside embankments in the Kathmandu Valley began Saturday, proceeding without major incidents.
The eviction effort echoes promises made by now-Prime Minister Balendra Shah during his tenure as Kathmandu mayor, when earlier attempts stalled due to lack of federal cooperation. Shah’s November 28, 2022 attempt to clear the Thapathali settlement ended in clashes that left 36 people injured, including the municipal police chief. He later sought backing from multiple home ministers, including Narayankaji Shrestha and Rabi Lamichhane, but did not secure sufficient support.
Early Saturday, bulldozers moved into encroached settlements with hundreds of security personnel from the Kathmandu Metropolitan Police, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force deployed. Residents were given ultimatums to remove belongings; some began relocating as early as Friday.
“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 operation continued.
Preliminary clearance began Thursday as part of the plan. Police said the first phase targets settlements in Thapathali, Manohara, and the Sinamangal-Gairigaun areas. The eviction is being coordinated with the District Administration Office, Kathmandu, and the Kathmandu Metropolitan City, with security tightened since morning.
Shah has said the government will distinguish between encroachers and genuine squatters and pledged to distribute land to eligible families. He initiated the drive as part of efforts to find a long-term solution to squatter settlements.
On social media, the Prime Minister stated, “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.” He noted that beyond riverbank residents in Kathmandu, thousands of other families face serious hardship and pointed to recurring flood risks as a justification for acting now rather than waiting for another disaster.
The move has drawn both support and criticism. Some residents welcomed the initiative. “I am really impressed and supportive of this drive to evict the squatters. It is a good initiative of the Balen government, it must had been done,” Subhadra Karki, a Thapathali resident, told ANI. Karki also cautioned that not everyone in the settlements is a genuine squatter, saying some have homes elsewhere or family abroad and called for proper segregation through investigation to identify real beneficiaries.
Human rights bodies and activists are closely watching the operation. The National Human Rights Commission has reminded the government of its earlier recommendation to identify genuine squatters and arrange alternative housing, and wrote to the government seeking an update on implementation progress. Amnesty International warned that forced evictions without prior consultation, verification or resettlement measures “reflects a dangerous erosion of the rule of law and signals an increasingly authoritarian approach,” saying such actions risk turning a governance challenge into a preventable human rights crisis.
Kathmandu Metropolitan City, cooperating with the Shah-led government, said it will adopt a humane approach. Acting Mayor Sunita Dangol said the metropolitan office is supporting actions in line with government decisions and requests from the District Administration Office, based on discussions among the municipal executive on April 24. Dangol emphasized removals will respect human dignity, with special attention to vulnerable groups including senior citizens, the sick, pregnant women, children and persons with disabilities. She added the city aims for a dispute-free, safe and fair process that adheres to legal and judicial standards and urged stakeholders and the public to support the campaign.
The eviction drive is part of Shah’s 100-point roadmap, which includes a nationwide digital survey and verification of landless squatters within 60 days and resolution of the issue within 1,000 days through relocation and land allocation. The plan proposes a Geographic Information System–based database, identification of genuine beneficiaries, updates to public and Guthi land records, and provision of land or integrated housing for urban relocation. (ANI)
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