KATHMANDU: Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balendra Shah (Balen) addressed the issue of a large ditch on a road in front of his office, identifying it as part of the Tukucha Khola. In a Facebook post, Mayor Shah explained that the ditch resulted from the road collapsing over Tukucha, and noted that the KMC had previously initiated work to expose the river. However, this effort was halted due to court orders.
Shah mentioned that following the court’s ruling, a request was sent to the relevant ministry to adjust land taxes for properties mistakenly registered within the Tukucha River's jurisdiction. He urged the government to act promptly to ensure the river's rights are restored and to provide proper compensation, allowing the KMC to resume efforts to open the river.
The road collapse has led to a halt in vehicular movement from Krishna Pauroti Chowk in Kamaladi to Mahendra Shalik at Durbarmarg. Police have cordoned off the area, and driving has been prohibited. The Department of Roads, responsible for this road, indicated that repairs would take several days due to the severity of the collapse, which had previously been temporarily fixed.