KATHMANDU, May 14: The government is preparing to convert areas vacated after squatter settlement evictions into parks, green belts, expanded river corridors and widened buffer zones.
According to Maccha Kaji Maharjan, Member Secretary of the High Powered Committee for Integrated Development of Bagmati Civilization (HPCIDBC) under the Ministry of Urban Development, debris removal is currently underway in the cleared settlements.
“We are removing bricks, stones, sand, and concrete from the sites. Work in Thapathali is nearly complete, while it continues in Gairigaun, Shantinagar and Bansighat,” Maharjan said. “We are managing the debris on-site instead of transporting it elsewhere.”
He added that in the Manohara area, debris management has been handed over to the Kathmandu Valley Development Authority (KVDA).
Reflective belts placed around necks and horns of stray cattle...
“Once the debris is cleared, we will develop parks and expand green areas. River buffer zones will be widened where they have narrowed, and incomplete corridors will be extended,” he said, adding that the work is expected to begin from the upcoming fiscal year 2026/27. “Preparations are already underway, and drainage systems will also be improved in some locations.”
Meanwhile, displaced squatter families have been relocated to temporary sites, including Banepa, Nagarkot, and Ichangu Narayan.
Officials said 120 people have been moved to Banepa, 49 to Nagarkot, and 93 to Ichangunarayan. Around 200 people are staying in hotels in Balaju, another 200 in the Radha Swami Satsang Byas Hall, and 60 at the Central Training Institute in Bode, Bhaktapur. Some families have also arranged their own accommodation elsewhere.
A three-member committee led by Netra Mani Neupane has been formed to monitor the condition of displaced families and address immediate concerns.
According to the District Administration Office, Kathmandu, the eviction drive has used bulldozers to clear 2,687 houses and structures across the Valley so far, including 890 permanent concrete houses and 1,797 temporary structures.
Officials said 19 squatter settlements have been cleared, displacing 15,316 people, including men, women, and children.
The ongoing operation, which began about two weeks ago, is being carried out in phases across the Valley and other parts of the country as part of a campaign to reclaim encroached public land.
A 2012 study by the HPCIDBC had identified 3,496 squatter families in the Valley, including 2,245 in Kathmandu alone. The number has since grown, with estimates suggesting around 6,000 families in recent years.
The study also listed 22 squatter settlement locations along riverbanks, including Thapathali, Sinamangal, Shankhamul, Balkhu, Kapan, Gothatar, and areas along the Dhobi Khola and Bishnumati.
According to the KVDA, several major settlements—Thapathali, Gairigaun, Gothatar, Shantinagar, and Manohara—have now been cleared.
Officials said the Ichangunarayan apartment alone is insufficient for long-term resettlement, with only 40 families currently accommodated there. “Alternative resettlement options are being explored,” an official added.
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