Local residents and business owners in Birgunj staged another round of protests on Saturday against the government's , demanding adequate compensation and rehabilitation before any roadside structures are demolished.
The demonstrations, organised by the Birgunj Bachau Sangharsha Samiti and the Birgunj Youth and Traders Road Victims Struggle Committee, saw protesters burning tyres and raising slogans in opposition to the ongoing demolition campaign.
The protests followed the deployment of bulldozers by the Hetauda Road Division Office and Birgunj Metropolitan City to remove structures constructed within the road's designated right of way.
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According to the Department of Roads, the project aims to widen the main road stretching from Gandak Chowk to Miteri Bridge to a width of 25 metres on either side. Local residents claim the expansion would impact more than 1,100 property owners as well as thousands of businesses operating along the corridor.
Protesters insisted that the road widening should not move forward until the government announces a comprehensive compensation package and a proper rehabilitation plan for those affected. They also warned that their agitation would continue unless their demands were met.
Officials, however, said the demolition drive is being carried out in accordance with a Supreme Court ruling that cleared legal hurdles delaying the project. They urged residents to voluntarily remove structures encroaching on the designated road boundary to facilitate the expansion work.
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