How a 33-year-old land probe was formed and what it uncovered
Summary
A commission formed in 1992 investigated land encroachment on government and public lands in Kathmandu, submitting a detailed report in 1995 identifying nearly 94.5 hectares as encroached. Despite attempts, enforcement stalled, and implementation remains incomplete even after a Supreme Court directive in 2010.
Key Points
- The Rawal Commission was formed in 1992 by the government to investigate government and public land encroachment in Kathmandu.
- The commission used field inspections and historical cadastral maps to identify 94.5 hectares of encroached land across 35 wards.
- The report was submitted in 1995, recommending freezing land transactions on encroached plots, but enforcement was partial and weakened over time.
- Despite a 2010 Supreme Court directive to implement the report, political and administrative challenges have stalled full recovery efforts.
