KATHMANDU, June 18: The government has decided to relocate the Metropolitan Police Circle, Kamalpokhari, away from its current office building amid accusations that the police office was encroaching upon public land.

A meeting of the Council of Ministers on June 6 decided to relocate the police office to the building of 'Food for Education' program in Maligaun of Kathmandu metropolis. The program office is going to share space with the National Youth Council (NYC) at the latter's current office building in Sanothimi of Bhaktapur.

Cultural heritage conservation activists have been claiming that the land occupied by the police office once belonged to the heritage Kamalpokhari. They have said that the ancient pond would have covered more area had it not been encroached upon by various individuals. “We welcome the decision of the government to hand over the land to the public,” one conservation activist told Republica.

Police have welcomed the Cabinet decision, citing the lack of enough space in the current building in Kamalpokhari. Officials from the circle have claimed that there was not even enough parking space at the police station.

“The office in Kamalpokhari is small and does not have sufficient space for the day to day operation of the police circle,” spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police Range Office (MPRO), Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Hobindra Bogati told Republica, “If the government can help the police find an alternate space for the office, the police will always welcome such decision.”

 
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