Kathmandu: The ongoing dispute over footpath expansion on Kathmandu’s New Road has escalated once more, with local residents clashing with authorities.
A team from the Kathmandu Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) arrived on the scene on Friday morning with a dozer to resume the footpath widening project, following a recent High Court ruling in their favor. However, local residents vehemently opposed the move, halting the work for the entire day.
Tensions reached a boiling point in the afternoon when locals resorted to climbing on the dozer to prevent its operation.
The KMC had previously initiated footpath expansion efforts but was obstructed by the Road Division Office, which intervened to reinstate the pavement. The metropolis subsequently filed a writ petition with the Patan High Court, which ruled in its favor, stating that urban roads fall under the jurisdiction of the local authority.
Despite the court’s decision, the latest confrontation underscores the deep-rooted challenges the KMC faces in implementing its urban development plans.
