Pokhara, 7 December| The Road Division Office Hetauda has temporarily suspended the main road expansion work in Hetauda market following a writ of certiorari order from the Supreme Court. Guru Prasad Adhikari, Chief of the Road Division, confirmed that the ‘Road Boundary Protection Program, 2082’ within Hetauda Sub-Metropolitan City has been halted. The Road Division had demolished approximately 500 houses on Saturday alone before the Supreme Court’s order was served on December 6 (Mangsir 21).
The Supreme Court’s single bench, led by Justice Meghraj Pokharel, issued a stay order, instructing the Road Division to maintain the status quo and not implement the road expansion notice. This came after a writ petition was filed by local resident and former Member of Parliament, Bindabasini Kansakar, challenging the Division’s November 21 (Mangsir 5) notice. That notice had given a 15-day ultimatum to remove structures within the road boundary, which was set at 25/25 yards (75/75 feet) for the expansion of Mahendra Highway and Tribhuvan Highway sections. The Court has scheduled a discussion for December 12 (Mangsir 26) to decide whether to issue an interim order, noting that the petitioners’ right to residence and property is a serious concern that warrants a hearing from both sides.
