Thapathali squatters in search of an alternative abode(Photo Feature)

By TRN Online, Kathmandu, April 24: Squatter families living along the Bagmati riverbank in Thapathali have begun vacating the area after the government issued a directive to clear the settlement by Friday evening. 

Residents, many of whom have lived there for years, were seen dismantling their makeshift homes and packing belongings amid an atmosphere of distress and uncertainty.

Small huts that once sheltered families are being taken apart as people gather essentials for survival and their children’s future.

The scene remains somber, with some residents folding bedding and clothes while others worry about where they will find shelter next. Many expressed deep anguish, saying they feel punished for being poor.

Since early Friday morning, locals have been hurriedly loading sheets, wooden planks, and kitchen items onto tractors and rickshaws.

Anticipating the arrival of government bulldozers, several families have already started demolishing their own homes. Photos: Manoj Ratna Shahi/TRN