The Kathmandu Metropolitan City has asked all the occupants of the encroached Lalita Niwas land to vacate the area within a week.

Issuing a notice on Wednesday, the metropolis asked all individuals, companies, and organisations currently occupying parts of the Lalita Niwas area in ward number 4 of the city to leave voluntarily.

Citing the Special Court’s February 15 verdict, the KMC said that since the land had now been brought under the government’s ownership from private possession, it was the city’s responsibility to preserve, monitor, and make appropriate use of the land.

“The notice has been issued to preserve, monitor, and make appropriate use of the land, situated in ward number 4 of the Kathmandu Metropolitan City, confiscated by the government as per the Special Court’s order,” the notice reads.

Failure to abide by the order will result in eviction in accordance with the law, the City office warned.

The Special Court, last Thursday, convicted over 100 individuals, including former government secretaries, for illegally transferring the government land to the ownership of private individuals. The court also ordered the confiscation of land from 65 individuals.

The Lalita Niwas area covers around 300 ropanis [around 15 hectares] of land adjoining the prime minister's residence, Nepal Rastra Bank’s central office and some VIP residences at Baluwatar.