KATHMANDU: Acting Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Sunita Dangol, has directed officials to begin immediate measures to protect public land cleared of informal settlements.

During an inspection of the recently vacated area along the Bagmati River corridor in Thapathali on Saturday, Dangol instructed Chief Administrative Officer Saroj Guragain to coordinate with relevant agencies, including the Bagmati Civilization Integrated Development Committee, to install fencing and ensure long-term protection of the sites.

She emphasized that both the currently cleared areas and those to be cleared in the future must be secured through proper coordination and prompt action by the Public Works Department.

On Sunday, Dangol also inspected the physical condition of a housing colony in Ichangu, Nagarjun. The city plans to relocate genuinely landless individuals from unmanaged settlements into these housing units.

As part of an ongoing campaign to remove unauthorized structures built on public and government-owned land along riverbanks, settlements in the Thapathali section of the Bagmati corridor were cleared on April 24. Prior to the eviction, the metropolitan office had issued public notices through loudspeaker announcements starting Thursday, urging residents of illegal settlements to vacate the area voluntarily.