BHAKTAPUR: Residents of the squatter settlement along the Manohara river in Lokanthali, Madhyapur Thimi Municipality-1, have begun vacating the area following the government’s ongoing campaign to clear encroachments on public and private land.
According to Surya Bahadur Khadka, Superintendent of Police at the District Police Range Bhaktapur, around 80 percent of residents had left the settlement with their belongings by 2:00 pm on Saturday.
He said the remaining families are in the process of relocating after police issued public announcements on Friday, urging residents to vacate and genuine squatters to come into contact with authorities.
Police said the eviction drive follows similar operations in Thapathali and ongoing clearance in Gairigaun, adding that the same team will move to remove settlements along both sides of the Manohara river.
Authorities aim to complete the clearance by Saturday evening, or begin demolition from Sunday morning if needed.
The settlement, which includes 777 households and over 1,600 residents, consists of a mix of temporary shacks and more than 50 two-storey concrete houses, police said. Over 100 personnel from Nepal Police and Armed Police Force have been deployed in preparation for the demolition.
Local resident Sunil Lama said many houses in the area had been rented out, with some structures reportedly sold for prices ranging from Rs 300,000 to Rs 700,000 for temporary shelters, and up to Rs 1.8 million for concrete houses.
Residents said they have been living in the area for years after purchasing such structures and are now seeking proper rehabilitation from the government.
They added that paying rent to intermediaries was common in the settlement, and stressed that they would not choose to live along the polluted riverbank if provided with better housing alternatives.
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