Baggikhana, the Rana time cavalry, was reorganized as the traffic office for the first time when Ram Dal, under the Royal Nepal Army, came into existence in 1951. [break]
Since then the Traffic Police has been functioning from the same office which was renamed as the Metropolitan Traffic Police Division (MTPD) in 2007 after the metropolitan police concept was introduced in the Kathmandu Valley.
According to the Kathmandu Town Development Authority (KTDA) Chief Bhai Kaji Tiwari, 1.8 meter area of the traffic office would be reclaimed as per the National Building Code 1975. Some of the infrastructures within the MTPD premise would get demolished along with its boundary wall.
Similarly, the KVTDA also follows the guidelines related to municipalities and urbanizing VDCs of the Kathmandu Valley that was approved by the cabinet in 2007. The law authorizes the authority to take action against individuals or organizations involved in illegal construction on public land.
"Though the infrastructure is very old, the boundary wall and DIG´s quarter would face demolition whereas the east side of the main building of the traffic office would also be brought down," he said.
He said that MTPD has been notified to empty the quarter and office within three days. However, the office can extend the deadline by a few days.
Meanwhile, KVTDA is also shortly sending notices to the Apex Court, Department of Archaeology, Singhadurbar and other offices informing them about its plan to demolish their walls to extend the existing two lane road of Putalisadak- Maitighar road section, officials said.
The MTPD Chief Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Upendra Kanta Aryal said that pulling down of the wall at the MTPD would send a message that no person or organization would be spared when it comes to reclaiming public land.
"We are cooperating with the KVTDA as usual," said DIG Aryal. "Building will be emptied by tomorrow (Thursday)."
KVTDA has reclaimed public land along more than 100 km road section that were encroached several years ago. The road expansion campaign was launched in August 2011 to ease the increasing traffic congestion in the Valley with the strong political backing of former Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai.
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Sept 24: Republica Morning Brief
