Pokhara Removes 105 Structures from Phirke River Encroachments

Pokhara. On the fourth day of the removal of encroachments from the Phirke River, which flows through the central part of Pokhara, 105 structures inside the riverbank have been removed. Pokhara Metropolitan City started removing encroached structures by running bulldozers from three locations of Phirke from June 10.

Chief of the Metropolitan Administration Division, Krishnaprasad Tiwari, informed that a total of 105 structures, both small and large, personal and institutional, have been demolished by the fourth day.

According to him, 23 structures, both small and large, were removed on Wednesday alone. Eight structures have been removed in the border area of Pokhara Metropolitan City Wards No. 18 and 2, while one concrete and three temporary structures have been demolished in the area of Wards No. 4 and 5.

In Wards No. 7 and 8, bulldozers have run over five compound walls and six permanent structures. The metropolis has stated that three JCBs and two excavators are being used in the work of clearing the riverbank. Nepal Police, Armed Police, Metropolitan Police Force, and technical staff have also been deployed.

According to the Phirke measurement report conducted by the metropolis in 2080 BS, 160 structures, from permanent to temporary, have been constructed on the Phirke riverbank. The measurement report mentions that 97 temporary structures and 35 permanent structures have been constructed by encroaching on the Phirke river itself.

Similarly, 10 temporary and 18 permanent institutional structures have been constructed over the river. After the technical measurement of the Phirke River, 588 boundary pillars were erected, 303 on the west and 285 on the east of the riverbank.

After clearing the Phirke Riverbank, the metropolis plans to develop it as an attractive tourist destination. There are plans to develop Phirke as a safe tourism destination with cycle tracks, footpaths, green spaces, and lighting.