Kavre, March 6

The apex Court today issued an interim stay on the demolition drive along the Araniko Highway in Kavre.

In the wake of the demolition drive by the Division Road Office, Bhaktapur, which started clearing unauthorised structures on the highway, a writ was filed at the apex court demanding interim stay on the ongoing demolition drive.

The writ, bearing around 1,800 signatures of locals, had mentioned the Office of the Prime Minister, Office of the Council of Ministers, Physical Planning and Works Ministry, Road Department and Bhaktapur Road Division Office as defendants.

Hearing the writ, Judge Ishwor Prasad Khatiwada issued the interim order to stay the demolition drive until March 29 and a show-cause notice to the concerned authorities.

Hari Dulal, Araniko Highway Concerned Struggle Committee Coordinator, defended the writ saying: “We have asked the government to provide us due compensation for appropriation of our land and property. We have been paying revenue for the land all these years,” said Dulal.

As per the road-widening drive, around 2,000 structures on the 59-km stretch from Sanga Bhanjyang, Kavre  to Bandeu in Dolalghat will be pulled down.

The government has also been preparing to upgrade the Suryabinayak-Dhulikhel road section to a six-lane road.