Mechinagar clears encroachments in Dhulabari

KATHMANDU: The Tahara Municipality has started removing houses built for years encroaching on the road in the Dhulabari Bazaar area of ​​Mechinagar Municipality-9 and 10 from today.

According to Mayor Gopal Budhathoki, the municipality was compelled to act swiftly as part of preparations for road upgrades supported by the World Bank.

The project, under the Urban Governance and Infrastructure Improvement Program, includes upgrading a 5.3-kilometer stretch of Sahid Marg at a cost of Rs 272.13 million.

The new road will feature a 12-meter width, two lanes, and drainage systems.

Previously, permanent buildings and shops occupied sections of the road’s eastern side for decades. Early this morning, municipal police, equipped with bulldozers, started dismantling the encroaching structures. Within a 100-meter radius north of Dhulabari Chowk, all illegal constructions have been cleared.

Residents and shopkeepers affected by the demolition moved their belongings to safe locations. Ward Chairperson Narayan Khanal of Mechinagar-10 stated that all encroaching structures would be removed within five days, ensuring the 12-meter-wide road remains clear.

He noted that 52 illegal stalls had been built in the area. “Bulldozers will target every structure violating road standards,” Khanal affirmed.

Dhulabari Bazaar, one of Nepal’s oldest trading hubs, once gained fame as the “Hong Kong Market,” with its reputation extending to Darjeeling, Kolkata, Assam, and Bhutan. Affluent Indian and Bhutanese traders often visited to purchase high-end Chinese goods.

However, the market’s vibrancy diminished after new trade agreements opened direct routes between India and China.

During its peak, unregulated construction of houses and shops flourished, resulting in permanent structures encroaching on public roads.

The road improvement contract was awarded to India-based NNT Developers Pvt. Ltd., with a completion deadline set for July 15, 2025.