POKHARA: The Pokhara Metropolitan City has officially launched a demolition drive today to clear illegal structures built within the natural corridor of the Phirke Khola.

This action follows the expiration of a 35-day public ultimatum issued by the metropolis on April 16, 2026, which warned individuals and organizations to vacate encroached public land.

Pokhara Mayor Dhanraj Acharya announced that the operation is being carried out as a coordinated campaign, with excavators deployed simultaneously across three strategic entry points under the leadership of local ward chairpersons and representatives.

The clearance strictly follows the boundaries established by the Phirke Khola measurement and mapping report compiled in July 2023.

The targeted demolition zones span multiple sectors of the city, including operations starting from the Andherikuna border heading toward Ward 4, the Phirke Bridge near Budhanilkantha Temple moving toward Wards 5 and 8, and the Lions Building at Zero Kilometer directing toward Fewa Lake.

While some organizations like the Lions Club and the Photographers Association voluntarily vacated and stripped their buildings ahead of the deadline, many others face forced removal.

A prior technical survey revealed extensive encroachment along the 8-kilometer river—which flows through several wards before emptying into Fewa Lake—identifying 160 illegal structures directly violating the riverbed.

These include 97 temporary and 35 permanent private structures, alongside 28 institutional buildings, all built past the 588 official boundary pillars erected to protect the river’s fluctuating 3.3-meter to 40-meter width.