Current Affairs

Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) officials are going ahead with the campaign to clear “illegal encroachments” of parking and other spaces meant for public use.

On Monday, they reached Suraj Arcade and other business complexes in the city’s New Road area and urged shopkeepers to vacate areas designated as “parking spaces”.

Led by rapper-turned-politician Mayor Balendra Shah, KMC began its demolition drive last week. The drive continues this week too.

On Sunday, KMC team demolished “illegal structures at Ratna Park” underpass – that connects Bhotahiti with Ratna Park.

Having demolished several "encroached structures" the KMC Mayor seems determined to demolish illegal structures. The KMC has allowed single line parking in Bhugol Park, Dharma Path and People’s Plaza area.

Though there was a provision of single side parking, the rule was violated, says KMC.

“The vehicles should be parked only on one side,” said Mahesh Kumar Kafle, assistant spokesperson at KMC.

Buoyed by public support to the campaign Balen Shah wrote on his Facebook page: “Any unauthorised construction by encroaching on any public or government land is considered null and void.”

He argued that KMC enjoys the “executive authority to remove illegally-built structures”.

He claimed: “The constitution and laws of Nepal have empowered Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) with the legislative power to make laws, the executive power to implement laws and the judicial power to settle disputes. In the current situation, the metropolis has used its executive powers.

"In the current situation, KMC used its executive powers to remove unauthorised structures. Section 11(2) of the Local Government Operation Act, 2074, has given the authority to mobilise the Metropolitan Police Force for the purpose of preventing and controlling unauthorised construction and encroachment of public property," he wrote.

Criticising commentators who criticised his move, Balen Shah wrote: “We request the commentators to understand at what stage the executive power has been used and at what stage the judicial power is used.”

See photos of KMC’s demolition drive: