Former PM Dr. Baburam Bhattarai on Kathmandu's Squatter Crisis and Urban Planning

Disorganized urbanization in the Kathmandu Valley, encroachment on riverbanks, and the squatter problem have been at the center of political and administrative debates for decades. In 2068 BS, under the leadership of then-Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai, concrete steps were taken for road expansion in Kathmandu, Bagmati river cleaning, and squatter management.

To relocate squatters from riverbanks to organized housing, multi-story apartments were constructed in Ichangu Narayan, Nagarjun. However, even after a decade and a half, those apartments remain unused, while the cycle of bulldozing riverbank settlements and subsequent clashes continues.