Public Land Encroachments Cleared in Simra Market

Bara. Following the inquiry by Jitpursimra Sub-Metropolis, businesses have themselves vacated the shutters built on public land in Simra market area. Seven shutters located next to Ramjanki Temple on the road leading from Simra's main market to the city hospital were vacated by the businesses themselves on Friday.

The rent amount for the 7 shutters on public land had been collected by the Ramjanki Temple Management Committee for 7 years. Although the sub-metropolis had been issuing notices repeatedly for the past year to remove those commercial shutters, the businesses had been defiant.

Only after the sub-metropolis issued a notice recently, warning of confiscation of goods if the shutters were not vacated by April 18, did the businesses start vacating the shutters themselves.

A team including Sub-Metropolis Officer Ramesh Subedi, along with city police, Nepal Police, and Armed Police, arrived on Friday morning to get the shutters vacated.

The shutters, built on public land in plot number 832 of ward no. 2 of the former Pipra Simra VDC, housed a pharmacy, clothing store, and a salon. Businesses had been operating in those shutters for a long time.

Previously, some individuals had even approached the high court against the sub-metropolis's decision to vacate the shutters. After the court refused to issue an interim order, the businesses were compelled to vacate the shutters.

On April 11, the joint bench of High Court Birgunj judges Jagat Bahadur Thapa and Nirmala Shakya dismissed the previous short-term interim order, paving the way for the sub-metropolis to vacate the shutters.

The short-term interim order had obstructed the notice issued on March 26 to vacate the shutters. Businesses had filed a writ in the High Court Birgunj on April 3 against the sub-metropolis's order to vacate the shutters by April 6.

In the writ filed by Adhikari, on April 4, a single bench of High Court judge Purneshwor Prasad Upadhyay issued a show-cause notice and a short-term interim order, after which the sub-metropolis backed down.

In the same writ, on April 11, the court refused to issue an interim order and set another hearing for May 4, after which the sub-metropolis vacated the shutters.

Officer Subedi stated that the sub-metropolis office would lock the shutters until a decision is reached by the court and proceed according to the decision of the hearing.