Pokhara Metropolitan City Clears Commercial Structures for Bus Park Construction

Kaski. Pokhara Metropolitan City has removed all commercial structures within the proposed bus park area at Prithvi Chowk for the construction of a well-equipped bus park in Pokhara.

Sutter and shops in the petrol pump line north of Bastola Complex within the bus park have also been removed. The work to 'clear the site' for the construction of the bus park has started half a century after the land for the bus park was acquired in 2030 BS. The area where the structures were removed has been cleaned and leveled.

Although the metropolis has removed commercial structures within the land title, it still has to clear the informal settlements, which is the main concern. 572 households have encroached on land and are living in three informal settlements within the bus park. The metropolis has stated that it will bulldoze the encroached houses only after managing the informal settlers elsewhere.

Pokhara Metropolitan City Chief Dhanraj Acharya said that the informal settlers will not be removed without managing their settlements. He said, "The details of the informal settlement friends are being verified and investigated. It has been found that some individuals have not provided their three-generation correct details and have provided false details. If such false details are proven, action will be taken according to the prevailing law. As soon as the verification of the details is completed, we will proceed with the relocation of the informal settlements."

Chief Acharya reiterated the metropolis's commitment that the informal settlements will not be removed without management, but it has been observed that some non-informal settlers and unrelated individuals are entering the settlements, providing false information and inciting unrest. Therefore, he requested that no one be misled by this.

The land of Bastola Complex, which the metropolis has now cleared with bulldozers, and the land of the petrol pump line are privately owned. Although acquired for the bus park in 2030 BS, the Pokhara Valley Town Development Committee later decided to distribute compensation and plots within the acquired land.

The metropolis has recently formed a judicial committee led by a former judge to investigate matters including the decision on land compensation. The report of that committee has not yet been submitted.

The informal settlers within the bus park have stated that they are ready to vacate the settlements as soon as they are managed elsewhere. Prem Gurung, chairman of the Informal Settlers' Stakeholders Committee, said that they are ready to move from their current residence as soon as they are given an alternative. He said, "The bus park is a long-standing plan, but it has not been built by showing us. We are not against development, we will not be an obstacle, let the metropolis show us where to go and live, we are ready to go."