The government of Nepal initiated massive road expansion with the distance of 996 km in Kathmandu valley, the capital city of Nepal. The valley is the traditional land of Newa Indigenous Peoples that includes three big cities (Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur) with 2,517,023 (26.92% Newar) population. The projects demolish the houses of Newa IPs and local communities, destroy cultural heritage sites and likely to affect around 150,000 (90% Newa) people. In around 2011-12, the Government of Nepal through the Kathmandu Valley Development Authority the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport ,the Roads Department, and the Ministry of Urban Development announced the launch of road-widening programme for the Valley.

The projects were initiated without compensation, consultation and FPIC. The affected communities are carrying out the protest against the projects. Numbers of Public Interest Litigations have been filed in the Supreme Court demanding the fundamental rights to property, culture, heritage, consultation, housing, participation including compensation.

Upon the request of affected communities, LAHURNIP has been providing legal support for remedial process in court and UN mechanisms including ILO. The ILO has accepted the complaint/representation by its 333 session and formed a tripartite committee to investigate allegations made in the representation. Similarly, Indigenous Peoples of Nepal submitted alternative Report  to 95th Session of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD)  in March 2018. The committee has issued concluding observation on 29 May 2018 that concerned on the issues of IPs lands territories and resources including the impact of road wading projects.

Demolition and displacement connected with the Project is already underway despite a Supreme Court interim injunction on prohibiting demolition. On 18 September 2017, the Supreme Court made land mark decision in favor of affected communities (Englsih News). The affected communities are making strong demands on the implementation of court decision.

Media Coverage

1 March 2021 : Civil society, road expansion victims protest in front of Kathmandu Metropolitan City office : https://kathmandupost.com/visual-stories/2021/02/28/civil-society-road-expansion-victims-protest-in-front-of-kathmandu-metropolitan-city-office

​​​​​​​1 March 2021 : सडक विस्तारको विरोधमा माइतीघरमा प्रदर्शन : https://www.onlinekhabar.com/2021/03/934494?fbclid=IwAR1s6FSfEQEIpVoC2C7WXVHJMoSwpohc8ilBJR72cjov19H8RPMfkXSxhKg

27 February 2021 : विरोध गर्ने स्थानीयलाई छेकेर बालाजु बाइपास सडकमा चलाइयो डोजर : https://www.setopati.com/social/230552?fbclid=IwAR1wcqvONWkRzL42_-a2tHHsFTQiIQQLWhWj6jG37VGJ9AWjtZr1X2XhSm8

12 November 2020 : डोजर आतंक’ रोक्न माग गर्दै बालाजुवासीको प्रदर्शन : https://www.onlinekhabar.com/2020/11/908934?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=FBpage1&fbclid=IwAR3UfU4Ot-DJ7LmTB3T7PsWwQUw4g38HexmGqEh10jd87LtJnGINdxh3GjU

17 August 2020: मन्त्रीज्यूको सिनेमा हल जोगाउन ३८ परिवारको उठिबास : https://www.onlinekhabar.com/2020/08/889752?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=FBpage1&fbclid=IwAR32RecbOad3uc9nmCqRpXde0igkXFh57AfC_QtE8CDIgynFN8iey4ctfx413 August

2020 : सडक विस्तारले बनायो घरबेटीलाई डेरावाल  : https://www.onlinekhabar.com/2018/08/698618?fbclid=IwAR1Z1Z_ccvKOE-M29DV_HF1dYVxPJqHBi9ghtVVgqEtQKYAaPAu0JhoKB2o10 August 2020 : बालाजु वाइपासका सडक बिस्तार पिडित भन्छन : हामी बिकास बिरोधी होइनौं : https://www.sarakhabar.com/%e0%a4%ac%e0%a4%be%e0%a4%b2%e0%a4%be%e0%a4%9c%e0%a5%81-%e0%a4%b5%e0%a4%be%e0%a4%87%e0%a4%aa%e0%a4%be%e0%a4%b8%e0%a4%95%e0%a4%be-%e0%a4%b8%e0%a4%a1%e0%a4%95-%e0%a4%ac%e0%a4%bf%e0%a4%b8%e0%a5%8d/?fbclid=IwAR1W77vd8QaD38TiW4Q6WsdrfnEVD6tbrBJb6AYGvphU8kjGJEZ4JP7Wi0M

9 August 2020 : बालाजुमा विस्थापितको रिले अनशन :https://ekantipur.com/national/2020/08/09/159697448262596733.html

8 August 2020 : आदिवासी र विकासबीचको द्वन्द्व :https://www.nayapatrikadaily.com/news-details/46671/2020-07-05?fbclid=IwAR00zp66gS_4UijXTO8BD4s4yrK_5N59405RK_6HYIzs38LOcHEgPaaKBQY

5 August 2020 : Balaju locals stage protest against road expansion : https://english.onlinekhabar.com/balaju-locals-stage-protest-against-road-expansion.html

5 Auugst 2020 : जनतालाई सुकुम्बासी बनाउने यो कसको सरकार :https://www.onlinekhabar.com/2020/08/887225?fbclid=IwAR0JRUpnonmgMkXCQ3CrCIsVvAroGOo1te9so4nQjtq484n99BFSN1EYuFM

3 July 2020 : why people are protesting, and what's the way out? : https://www.indigenousvoice.com/en/road-expansion:-why-people-are-protesting-and-whats-the-way-out.html

30 July 3018 : SC puts brake on road expansion: https://kathmandupost.com/valley/2018/06/30/sc-puts-brake-on-road-expansion

18 March 2018 Protests over road expansion project in Kathmandu : https://iphrdefenders.net/nepal-protests-over-road-expansion-project-in-kathmandu/

28 March 2018: Protests over road expansion project in Kathmandu : https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/protests-over-road-expansion-project-in-kathmandu-118032800909_1.html

28 March 2018: Locals stage protest against road expansion : https://thehimalayantimes.com/kathmandu/locals-stage-protest-against-road-expansion/

21 December 2018: Valley natives stage protest against road expansion drive : https://kathmandupost.com/valley/2018/12/21/valley-natives-stage-protest-against-road-expansion-drive

23 Feb 2017 : People affected by road-widening drive stage demonstration at Maitighar : https://myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com/news/people-affected-by-road-widening-drive-stage-demonstration-at-maitighar/

8 August 2020: Kathmandu road expansion: Govt filing appeal for revision to Supreme Court verdict : https://english.onlinekhabar.com/kathmandu-road-expansion-govt-filing-appeal-for-supreme-court-verdicts-revision.html

15 December 2016 : Bulldozing the rights of Indigenous People to expand roads in Kathmandu : https://www.indigenousvoice.com/en/bulldozing-the-rights-of-indigenous-people-to-expand-roads-in-kathmandu.html