Gaighat, March 23

Locals have started building houses by encroaching on the land owned by Triyuga airport in Gaighat of Triyuga Municipality-12, Udayapur.

Foundation stone for the construction of the airport had first been laid in 2031 BS. Budget was also released by the government for construction of the airport. However, the airport construction project never took off.

The municipality had later designated some plots for construction of a well-managed market, stadium and guest house in consensus with local political leaders after it was confirmed that airport would not be constructed in the land. The airport project owns six bigaha land, but the locals have encroached on more than three bigaha land.

Political activist and social worker Devimaya Katuwal claimed that some locals had captured airport land in collusion with people’s representatives. “Buildings are under construction on the encroached land, but the authorities are keeping mum,” said Katuwal. She said her repeated complaints to the municipality regarding the matter had fallen on deaf ears.

Udayapur Acting CDO Kumar Khadka, however, expressed ignorance about encroachment of public land. Triyuga Municipality Mayor Baldev Chaudhary said people from the Chuadhary community had started building houses in the land.

Mayor Chaudhary, however, denied that the land had been encroached upon.