KATHMANDU, JULY 19
Kathmandu Metropolitan City today used excavators to demolish the structure of Bhadrakumari Ghale Sewa Sadan located in Anamnagar, citing that it was built on public land.
A team of metropolitan police, along with demolishers today reached the inner avenues of the town to bring down the concrete building. The multi-storey tall building housed an elderly home, library, museum, art gallery, cooperative and a public school called Bhadra Ghale Shikshya Sadan.
The metropolitan police had given a written notice to the operator of the Sadan to evacuate the building and start demolishing on its own a few days ago.
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However, the metropolitan police said the recent notice was given as a reminder to the owners that they would demolish the building by themselves.
The metropolitan authorities said the public ought to follow the notice issued time and again months ago which had asked all to clear the area of illegal buildings and structures built in public spaces.
The local government led by Mayor Balendra Shah has started demolishing illegal structures built in public spaces mostly around the main road segment. Now they have started working to evacuate buildings in the inner road segment as well.
Bhadrakumari, an octogenarian owner of the house, however, has been claiming that she has rightfully owned the land and has proper land certificate of it. She has been operating the humanitarian works from the building for the past 18 years.
Bhadrakumari is also a former Member of Parliament of the Panchayat era. The building had also been providing space for yoga. Over two dozen under-privileged families had been taking shelter in the building.
A version of this article appears in the print on July 20, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
