Kathmandu: Protesting the government’s road-widening campaign, a group of people picketed Kathmandu Valley Town Development Implementation Committee (KVTDIC) today.

Residents along the Lazimpat-Bhudhanilkantha road section chanted anti-government slogans and warned of strong protest against the road-widening move.

“We will act against the road-widening drive,” said Krishna Paudel, secretary of the struggle committee. “The government has terrorised us and encroached our land and property in the name of road-widening,” he said.

The government has been demolishing illegally built structures on the roads for the past three months to widen the road in the Valley.

Protesters said the government was enacting a dead law. “Even before it implements the Land Acquisition Act, it has started capturing our land,” said local Ramesh Bhatta. “Earlier, local authorities allowed us to make houses leaving 8 metres on either side of the road. “We will submit documents to the government,” said Nirmal Nakarmi and Akash Maharjan, members of the struggle committee.

However, government officials said all the protesters today were not genuine land owners. Bhai Kaji Tiwari, KVTDIC chief, said they would study the documents and decide whether to compensate. “If they are encroaching road assets, they will be demolished.”

“The government will continue to widen roads,” said Tiwari. “Legal action will be taken against those who have violated the laws.”

source: The Himalayan Times,26 Jan 2012