KATHMANDU: According to Mayor Balen Shah of the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC), no physical structures, including public and private ones, will be allowed to stand within 20 meters of Kathmandu’s riverbanks. This ruling is in accordance with the Supreme Court’s and the Council of Ministers’ orders.
“Permission for the construction of physical structures, including government or private buildings, inside the further 20 meters of the river banks will not be allowed,” Mayor Balen declared.
He stressed on social media that measures to maintain the coastline regions of rivers and streams clear would be stepped up in the wake of major flood damage in Kathmandu’s river bank areas. He issued a warning that failure to comply with the criteria will result in appropriate action from the city. He mentioned that the government has declared areas as construction-prohibited zones that are at least 20 meters from the banks of the Bagmati, Bishnumati, and Manohara rivers and at least 4 to 12 meters from the banks of other rivers.
“Please adhere to these requirements when planning building on the river bank areas, while passing maps, handling real estate, or dealing with mortgage properties,” Mayor Balen said in a Facebook post. If you do not follow through, things could get complicated.