Kathmandu administration orders evacuation of illegal riverbank settlements

Kathmandu: The District Administration Office, Kathmandu has issued a notice directing residents of illegally constructed houses on public, government, and private lands along riverbanks to vacate by 7:00 PM today.

In an urgent notice issued by Assistant Chief District Officer Mukti Ram Rijal, the office has requested all individuals residing in such houses to leave, stating that these structures have adversely affected public transportation, essential urban infrastructure development, and the natural flow of rivers, while also putting lives at risk.

Residents who are unable to vacate on their own have been urged to inform the Metropolitan Police, Nepal Police, or the Armed Police Force. They have also been instructed to immediately arrange for the safe relocation of their personal belongings, clothing, and pets.

The notice emphasizes that priority should be given to relocating vulnerable groups, including persons with disabilities, young children, pregnant and postpartum women, the elderly, and the sick, to safer locations.

According to the notice, demolition of such settlements will begin from 6:00 AM on Baisakh 12. Encroached land will be cleared completely, and strict legal action will be taken against anyone obstructing the process.

The administration has stated that, following arrangements for safe relocation, relevant ministries and authorized bodies of the Government of Nepal will begin recording and verifying the status of actual landless squatters.

Preparations are underway to provide proper settlement arrangements to identified genuine landless individuals within the next 10 to 15 days. The notice further warns that anyone continuing to reside in such settlements in defiance of the directive will be responsible for any damage to structures or personal property resulting from joint action by the local administration, police, and Kathmandu Metropolitan City.