KATHMANDU, June 18: The Indigenous Nationalities Commission has submitted a study report to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, recommending the Kathmandu–Terai/Madhesh Expressway’s starting point be relocated to Dukuchhap in Godawari Municipality-8, Lalitpur.
Commission Chair Ram Bahadur Thapa Magar handed over the report to Prime Minister Oli at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers in Singha Durbar today.
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The report maintains that the current entry point of the expressway in Khokana, of Lalitpur Metropolitan City-21, poses a risk of displacement for the indigenous Newar community and violates local residents’ human rights. It also highlights concerns raised by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights regarding the Bagmati River Clean-up Project, urging the Nepal government to respond accordingly.
The report was prepared following a request from the Human Rights and International Treaty Division of the Prime Minister’s Office. It states that Khokana holds religious and cultural significance for the Newar community, making Dukuchhap a more suitable alternative.
The Commission also advised the government to seek prior informed consent from local indigenous communities before implementing such large-scale projects.
