The Pokhara Metropolitan City on Sunday started demolishing structures built encroaching on the Phirke river in Pokhara.

The metropolitan city had issued a 35-day notice asking people to vacate the river corridor, which expired on Saturday. The demolition drive follows a survey report prepared in mid-July 2023 on the encroachment of the river.

According to Mayor Dhanraj Acharya, more than 160 temporary and permanent structures belonging to individuals and institutions will be removed.

The campaign began simultaneously from three locations on Sunday. One team started from Andheri Kuna on the border of wards 2 and 18, moving towards ward 4, another from Phirke river bridge near Budhanilkantha Temple on the border of wards 4 and 5 moving towards wards 5 and 8, and the third from the Lions building at Zero Kilometre on the border of wards 7 and 8 moving towards ward 6.

Acharya said the metropolitan city has currently enforced a six-metre setback from the riverbank and plans to carry out conservation and beautification works within the area.