A government-led operation to remove squatter settlements from riverside embankments in the Kathmandu Valley began on Saturday, proceeding largely without major incidents.
The campaign revives a promise Balendra Shah made while he was Kathmandu’s mayor. His earlier attempt to clear the Thapathali settlement on November 28, 2022, ended in clashes that injured dozens and stalled amid limited federal cooperation. After that episode Shah sought support from several home ministers but failed to secure the backing needed to complete the evictions.
Early in the operation, bulldozers entered encroached areas accompanied by hundreds of security personnel from the Kathmandu Metropolitan Police, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force. Residents were warned to remove their belongings; some began moving out a day earlier when preliminary clearance work started. Police identified the first phase of the drive as targeting settlements in Thapathali, Manohara and the Sinamangal-Gairigaun corridor.
Bishnu Prasad Joshi, chief of the Kathmandu Metropolitan Police, described the locations as non-residential government land and said authorities had repeatedly appealed to occupants to vacate. Joshi framed the action as part of a mission to clear illegal settlements from public property.
The operation is coordinated with the District Administration Office and the Kathmandu Metropolitan City, which tightened security and organized logistics for the removals. Officials say they will try to separate clear encroachers from households that may qualify as genuine squatters and plan to provide support to eligible families.
Prime Minister Shah has promised a nationwide identification exercise for genuine squatters and pledged to distribute land to those who qualify. He told the public the government will complete verification and deliver a lasting solution, citing recurrent flood risks along riverbanks as a reason to act now rather than wait for another disaster.
Reactions are mixed. Some local residents expressed support for clearing illegal encroachments. A Thapathali resident said she was impressed by the drive but also warned that not everyone living in these settlements is an illegitimate occupant; some have homes elsewhere or family abroad and deserve careful verification before any permanent action.
Human rights organizations and watchdogs are monitoring the evictions closely. The National Human Rights Commission has reminded authorities of its prior recommendation to identify genuine squatters and arrange alternative housing. Amnesty International cautioned that forced evictions without prior consultation, verification and resettlement plans risk violating rights and could deepen a humanitarian problem.
Kathmandu Metropolitan City officials say they will adopt a humane approach. Acting Mayor Sunita Dangol stated that removals will respect human dignity and give special consideration to vulnerable groups, including senior citizens, the ill, pregnant women, children and persons with disabilities. The city says it will follow legal and judicial standards and aims for a dispute-free, fair process.
The eviction drive is part of a broader 100-point roadmap Shah has put forward. Key measures include a nationwide digital survey and verification of landless squatters within 60 days, a GIS-based database of encroachments, regularization and updating of public and Guthi land records, and a goal to resolve the issue within 1,000 days through relocation, land allocation or integrated housing for urban beneficiaries.
As operations continue, authorities face the challenge of balancing enforcement of public land laws with the need to protect vulnerable residents and to deliver durable, humane solutions for those displaced. The coming weeks will test the government’s ability to carry out removals while meeting its promises on verification, resettlement and legal safeguards.
