KASKI, June 21: Pokhara Metropolitan City on Saturday demolished 320 shop units along with other structures built illegally inside the proposed bus park area at Prithvi Chowk.
Acting on an agreement with landowners and businesses, the city used bulldozers to remove structures at Bastola Complex located on the Seti River side of Prithvi Chowk, as part of its ongoing bus park construction drive.
Mayor Dhanraj Acharya said continuous discussions and coordination with the complex operators and business owners led to a mutual agreement to vacate the area. He added that the structures were removed with an understanding of supporting the bus park construction project.
“We had reached an agreement with the landowners, and the area was vacated accordingly. We will not remove settlements without proper arrangements in the case of squatters,” he said.
Construction of Pokhara Bus Park remains incomplete even after...
Earlier, on June 19, the metropolis had already used bulldozers to remove shops at the bus park entrance.
The land cleared by the city has been found registered under private ownership. Although the land was acquired in 1973 (2030 BS) for the bus park, the Pokhara Valley Urban Development Committee later decided to distribute compensation plots and housing within the acquired land.
The metropolis has formed a judicial committee led by a former judge to investigate decisions related to compensation and land distribution, but the report has yet to be submitted. Mayor Acharya said verification of land ownership documents is ongoing and the findings will be made public soon.
Ward Chair Deependra Marsani of Ward No. 9 said the entire bus park area will eventually be cleared. He added that alternative arrangements are being prepared for squatters living in the area.
The metropolis began clearing structures in the bus park area from June 18. According to officials, among 572 squatter households, verification has been completed for 337 families so far.
Mayor Acharya said some individuals claiming to be squatters have submitted false or incomplete details, which has delayed the verification process.
