Kathmandu - The Government of Nepal has intensified efforts to manage settlements of landless and squatter communities living along riverbanks and on public land across the Kathmandu Valley, aiming to establish a long-term and sustainable solution to the growing urban settlement challenge.
According to the Ministry of Urban Development, a new policy is currently being prepared to address the issues of landless citizens, squatters, and unmanaged settlements in a systematic and durable manner. The policy drafting process is being led by a committee coordinated by the ministry’s secretary, Gopal Prasad Sigdel, and is expected to be presented to the Council of Ministers for approval in the near future.
Joint Secretary Dilip Bhandari stated that the government is working to ensure that the problem is resolved through a transparent and organized mechanism rather than temporary measures alone. The initiative is being implemented in coordination with the High-Powered Bagmati Civilization Integrated Development Committee, Kathmandu Metropolitan City, and other concerned agencies.
Authorities have already accelerated relocation and management efforts in areas including Balkhu, Banshighat, Balaju, and Shankhamul, where settlements along river corridors have increased environmental risks and urban management challenges. Director of the High-Powered Bagmati Civilization Integrated Development Committee, Machakaji Maharjan, said displaced families have been temporarily relocated to designated shelters within and around the Kathmandu Valley.
Temporary accommodation facilities have been arranged in Dhapakhel of Lalitpur, Kharipati and Bode of Bhaktapur, Banepa in Kavrepalanchok, as well as at the Nagarkot Drinking Water Training Center and a Red Cross building. Food and basic shelter support are also being provided to relocated families.
Officials said that the government has so far registered around 2,000 families as part of an ongoing identification and data collection process. Of these, approximately 800 families are currently residing in temporary shelters, while others have arranged alternative accommodation independently.
A joint team comprising the Department of Urban Development and Building Construction, Kathmandu Valley Development Authority, the Bagmati Civilization Integrated Development Committee, and the Kathmandu Metropolitan Police Force is conducting the registration and verification process. Authorities stated that detailed family records, including multi-generational information, are being collected to distinguish genuine landless squatters from unmanaged settlers through a screening process.
The government had earlier issued a public notice requesting affected families to come into official contact for registration and support.
Prime Minister Balen Shah has also publicly emphasized the government’s commitment to ensuring safe, dignified, and permanent housing solutions for landless citizens. In a recent public statement, he noted that citizens living in high-risk and unsafe riverbank areas would be relocated to safer locations, while further decisions regarding landless populations would be made based on recommendations from the concerned commissions and verified records.
The government has additionally prepared an 11-point action plan to address encroachment and unmanaged settlements established on riverbanks, public spaces, barren land, and both government and private property within the Kathmandu Valley. To oversee implementation, a seven-member committee led by the Minister for Urban Development has also been formed.
The initiative comes amid increasing concerns over unmanaged urbanization, environmental degradation along river corridors, flood vulnerability, and the need for humane and sustainable housing policies in Nepal’s rapidly expanding urban areas.
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