Dhangadhi Faces Public Land Shortage

Dhangadhi. There is a shortage of public land in Dhangadhi, the temporary capital of Sudurpashchim Province.

There are no grounds for children in the fertile land of cricket, and there is always a problem when open spaces are needed for public events. As playgrounds and public lands are being converted into commercial structures, open spaces are decreasing.

In Dhangadhi, places previously known as playgrounds are now being used for commercial purposes. An example of this is the Sudurpashchim Province Police Office playground in Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolis-2. At one time, this ground was the pride of Dhangadhi and a center for sports. It was known as the ground for the Sudurpashchim Festival, the biggest commercial fair in Sudurpashchim, and the 'Dhangadhi Premier League' (DPL), the cricket tournament with the highest prize money in the country.

This ground, located in the heart of the city, was used for helicopter landings, police training, and even large gatherings. This ground was everyone's choice, but the police could not maintain it as a ground under their supervision.

In 2079 BS, the form of this ground changed. Where there were players and thousands of spectators, now vehicles line up to fill petrol and diesel. A model petrol pump is now in operation here with an investment of 5 crore 39 lakh 65 thousand 78 rupees and 53 paisa from the Nepal Police Welfare Fund.

In a city struggling with a shortage of public land, instead of preserving the playground, it was put to commercial use, and this ground was lost. Before this, many public lands have already been converted into structures in this manner.

'There is an extreme shortage of public land in Dhangadhi,' Mayor of Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolis, Gopal Hamal, often says at public events.

Even though it is the provincial capital, there is not even a proper parking space here. The sub-metropolis does not have its own land to build public toilets, drinking water taps, or waiting areas for people.

Currently, Dhangadhi looks somewhat more organized than before after the main road of the market was widened. The sub-metropolis has created wide spaces along the new road. Public toilets have also been built, but they are not enough. In some places, there are no parking lots. According to Mayor Hamal, the shortage of public land affects plans to organize the city.

Dhangadhi has 19 wards. While there are some open spaces in the rural wards, the market area wards are only filled with houses. The existing playgrounds are also suffering from a lack of conservation. Currently, football, volleyball, and martial arts players in Dhangadhi are forced to practice in the small covered hall of the old regional stadium. Despite being called the city of cricket, there is no standard ground for cricket players.

The discussion about the proposed Phapla Cricket Stadium in Dhangadhi-3 has been going on for decades. The central and provincial governments allocate budgets every year, but the work is not even progressing at a snail's pace. Although Phapla was called a 'dream project', seeing no signs of that dream coming true, players and sports enthusiasts have become disappointed, said local resident Bobby Basnet of Bauniya, Kailali.

There is also anger among the youth here about the lack of land and the destruction of existing structures.

'The standard of an organized city is its parks and playgrounds. We don't even have land to build a small parking lot or a resting place. Public lands, canals, and ponds have all been encroached upon. Should we only look at business, or also at the health and entertainment of the citizens?' said Manish Thapa, a local from Dhangadhi-2.

Similarly, according to Sunita Joshi, a local from Dhangadhi-3, the main reason for the city not being organized is the exploitation of public property.

'An organized city needs open spaces. Where will the children play? Where will the elderly sit? Not all places can be turned into commercial structures,' she said.