According to a report prepared by the KVTDC, which was presented to Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai Thursday, a total of 30 houses, most of them along the Lazimpat-Maharajgunj road, will be entirely demolished if the Lainchaur-Bansbari road is expanded to either 22 meters or 18 meters. [break]
"We will expand the Lainchaur-Bansbari road to either 22 meters or 18 meters," said Dr Bhaikaji Tiwari, Chief Urban Planner at the KVTDC. "In either case, 30 houses will be fully damaged."
As per the Kathmandu valley road standards-2033 B.S., the Lainchaur-Bansbari road -- which is just 11.5-13.5 meters wide now -- must be expanded by 11 meters on either side. But, given the scale of likely damage, the KVTDC is mulling over expanding the Lainchaur-Bansbari road only by 9 meters on either side.
According to the report, 401 houses will be partially damaged if the KVTDC expands the Lainchaur-Bansbari road by 11 meters on either side. Similarly, 319 houses will be partially damaged if the same road is widened by nine meters on either side.
The KVTDC had hired a consultant to figure out how many houses will be fully or partially damaged if the Lainchaur-Bansbari road is expanded to 18 or 22 meters. On February 11, Prime Minister Bhattarai had directed the KVTDC to demolish illegally-built physical infrastructures along the Lazimpat-Maharajgunj road only after preparing a detailed survey map of that area.
Earlier, on February 4, the KVTDC had bulldozed the compound walls of the Standard Chartered Bank, Department of Mines and Geology and Shankar Hotel in Lazimpat area. However, the KVTDC had to back off from widening the Lainchaur-Bansbari road, albeit temporarily, after protests by locals.
On Thursday, PM Bhattarai ordered the KVTDC to adopt best possible ways of minimizing damage while widening the Lainchaur-Bansbari road. Following PM Bhattarai´s instructions, the KVTDC is weighing possibilities for avoiding displacement of families from the Lainchaur-Bansbari road.
"A way to avoid displacement of families is to demolish only the lower parts of the houses," says Dr Tiwari. "We have successfully applied this method in some areas like Baneshwar and Bhagawatibahal. We will look into other possibilities as well."
The KVTDC, which aims to expand altogether 400 km roads in the valley, has widened over 18 km roads as of now. However, widening the Lainchaur-Bansbari road, resided by many influential people, has turned out to be the most challenging job for the KVTDC.
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