Damauli, October 14

Division Road Office of Tanahun is set to bring down illegal structures built on the roadside along the Mugling-Kotre road section of Prithvi Highway.

As per sources at DRO, Tanahun, structures built within 25 metres of the road will be removed. Earlier, the office in April had issued a notice, serving a 35-day deadline to the owners to remove such structures on their own.

“Though our plan was to start working immediately after expiry of the deadline, we had to stop for some time due to impending elections and Dashain festival. The process will start once we call a tender and award the contract,” said the office chief, Bhanu Joshi.

It is learnt that illegal structures along the highway are being demolished in alignment with the proposed upgradation of the road section due to begin in April, next year. A survey of the road in this regard has already been conducted by Asian Development Bank. As per the proposed design, the road will be upgraded into a four-lane highway.

The DRO has clarified that any structures still standing would be forcibly removed now and that the owners will have to bear the cost. As per a rough estimate, around 2,000 houses and huts built on the roadside along the stretch will be demolished.

Meanwhile, repair work of the Muglin-Kotre road section has been intensified of late. Potholes are being filled in the first phase and repair work would be carried out in the second phase, said the DRO.