Metro debate : Road expansion: Controversy, praise galore
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Traffic Police has started reclaiming public land that is part of the roads in the valley by dismantling illegal constructions. Though the move has been welcomed in general, there is some controversy over how much land is actually part of the road. Disconnect among different departments has also surfaced with overlapping jurisdiction. For instance, the Traffic Police is responsible for traffic management, the Department of Roads has the authority to build roads and the Kathmandu Valley Town Development Implementation Committee is responsible for planning and handling legal matters. Nirjana Sharma spoke with officials involved in the road expansion campaign in the Capital and tried to get a sense of what exactly is happening.
‘Despite political pressure, we have been able to do quite a lot’
The campaign has been controversial from the very beginning, hasn’t it?
The road expansion campaign was initially criticised as we had to demolish the green traffic islands and make smaller the footpaths at major places such as New Baneshwor-Tinkune. We were compelled to do so as the government does not have any project in the pipeline on constructing alternative sub-roads to ease the increasing traffic pressure. But we later found that only island and footpath demolition was not enough. Hence we started coordinating with the Kathmandu Valley Town Development Implementation Committee (KVTDIC), the Department of Roads (DoR) and the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) to bulldoze illegal constructions on public land at various places. We are working without any obstruction.
But the controversy is still there, especially after Hotel Everest dragged the Traffic Police and three other stakeholders to the Supreme Court.
The hotel owners have argued that we could bulldoze only 25 yards. However, we took the action as per the recommendation of technical experts at the KVTDIC and the DoR to clear 25 metres of the land on either sides as measured from the centre of the road. The KVTDIC has been providing financial and technical support for the demolition.
How do you evaluate the campaign as a whole?
Illegal constructions are being fast demolished. In such a situation, it is obvious for the public to expect maintenance of the area sooner. But it has not been possible to expedite the process. The expanded roads cannot be used unless it is repaired by the DoR. It is also urgent that electricity poles are replaced to avoid any accident. But despite some criticism we are encouraged by the positive feedback from the public so far. Our action against powerful leaders and business houses has established a belief in the public that the traffic police are working for them despite political pressure. In fact members of the general public are proactively coming forward to inform us about illegal constructions and public land encroachments.
How long will the campaign run?
Our top priority is to upgrade the section of the road from Tinkune-Maitighar into a six-lane one by merging it with the Koteshwor-Surya Vinayak section of the Araniko Highway. The campaign will continue for some time. There are some other expansion projects in the pipeline in Lalitpur and Bhaktapur districts. The projects there will begin once the DoR accepts our proposal.
‘This is just THE beginning’
There is some confusion over the legality of the demolition of the roadsides up to 25 metres. What exactly is in the law?
The Kathmandu Valley Town Development Implementation Committee follows guidelines related to municipalities and urbanising
VDCs of the Kathmandu Valley that was approved by the Cabinet in 2007. The law authorises the committee to take action against an individual or a company involved in illegal construction on public land, even exceeding 25 metres. The measurement of 25 yards is very old, which does not exist under any legal provision in Nepal currently.
Similarly, the guidelines also mandate us to charge fines against the accused for misusing public land. The Supreme Court, in 2001, had directed the government to draft a law in case structures are to be knocked down to 25 metres right and left of the roads. When the eight-lane project on the Ring Road begins, we have to pull down constructions on 25 metres on both sides of the road. So, there should be no doubts about our actions.
The speed of demolition does not match maintenance, why the delay?
Our responsibility is only to clear the public land. The Department of Roads is responsible for the maintenance of these roads.
What other areas have you identified?
The Kathmandu Metropolitan City and the Metropolitan Traffic Division will identify places and we will provide heavy equipment and
manpower for the action after that.
‘Roads will be repaired within one month’
Why haven’t you begun construction at the demolition sites? How is the coordination with the other departments?
Yes, we are lagging behind when compared to the work of the Traffic Police and the Town Development Committee. The delay is due to the long tender process involved in the projects. However, we have begun blacktopping the expanded road at Kamal Pokhari, Nag Pokhari and Kalimati areas. The tender for the Tinkune-Maitighar stretch has been invited. Work will begin there in a few days. We are regularly in touch with the rest of the stakeholders to give priority to projects in busy sections of the roads. The work is categorised as emergency projects which involve small budget. Therefore, they cannot be considered good for a long term. The black-topped roads will be durable for only a couple of years. The DoR will, therefore, have to come up with some big projects soon.
When will the electricity poles be relocated?
We are providing funds to the Nepal Electricity Authority to relocate the poles. Work on this has begun near Kathmandu Plaza. All the poles will be relocated before the black-topping process begins.
When will the entire expanded areas be opened for the traffic?
We want to assure the public that areas which have been expanded till date will be repaired within one month. We are aware of the fact that accidents could occur at the sites in the absence of early maintenance.
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