Will encroachment clearance finally revive Pokhara bus park?
What was once planned as a major transport hub has instead turned into a congested settlement and chaotic transit point.
KATHMANDU: A long-delayed plan to build a modern bus park in Nepal’s tourism capital has remained unfinished for nearly half a century, with authorities now moving to clear encroachments after repeated failed attempts.
The land for the bus park was first acquired in 2032 B.S. (1975–76 AD) with a total of 205 ropani allocated by the Pokhara Valley Urban Development Committee. However, decades of delays and unchecked encroachment have reduced the site to just around 60 ropani, according to officials.
What was once planned as a major transport hub has instead turned into a congested settlement and chaotic transit point. The site in Pokhara–9, near Prithvi Chowk, is marked by makeshift houses, waste accumulation, broken electric poles, tangled wires, muddy roads, and unmanaged parking. There are no proper ticket counters, passenger waiting areas, or organized bus lanes.
Local authorities say around 575 households — including landless Dalit families, squatters, and informal settlers — currently reside inside the bus park area. Many of them were relocated in earlier urban development phases, including during airport expansion projects, while others are long-term informal occupants.
Ward officials confirm that residents have submitted documents to the municipality as part of verification efforts. The city has recently issued notices requiring households and landholders to submit citizenship documents, land-related records, and tax receipts as part of a formal clearance process.
Community representatives, however, are demanding proper rehabilitation before eviction. “We are ready to cooperate, but genuine squatters must be properly managed first,” said settlement committee coordinator Asim Tamang, adding that discussions with the city mayor have already taken place.
Former Urban Development Committee chair Bishwoprakash Lamichhane said the entire acquired land should be used for the bus park without selective retention or exclusion, stressing that the state must manage settlements before construction proceeds.
Transport entrepreneurs say the absence of a functional bus park is worsening traffic chaos in the city. Around 300 buses operate daily from the area, connecting Pokhara with 63 districts across Nepal. However, passengers are often picked up and dropped off from roadside locations due to lack of infrastructure, while ticket counters operate outside the designated terminal zone.
The site currently lacks basic facilities such as paved platforms, parking bays, sanitation, drinking water, and passenger shelters.
Traffic congestion around Prithvi Chowk has become a daily challenge for both commuters and tourism-related mobility.
Pokhara Metropolitan City and the Urban Development Committee have intensified efforts to reclaim the land. A 35-day notice issued earlier expired recently, followed by a fresh 15-day eviction notice instructing removal of shops, houses, and structures within the bus park boundary.
Officials warned that if structures are not removed within the deadline, the authorities will carry out demolition and recover costs from those responsible.
Mayor Dhanraj Acharya said the city is committed to moving forward with construction after clearing encroachment. He stated that a master plan has already been prepared and pledged that all landless and squatters would be properly verified and resettled.
Alongside the bus park issue, the city has also begun clearing encroachments along the nearby Firkekhola river corridor, aiming to restore the waterway and develop it into a tourist-friendly urban space.
Despite repeated announcements over decades, the proposed modern bus park remains one of Pokhara’s most visible unfinished infrastructure projects — symbolizing both rapid urbanization and unresolved land management challenges in Nepal’s key tourism hub.
