Hetauda Bazaar locals have enforced a town shutdown for the last two days to protest the demolition of homes and business establishments close to the East-West Highway. While the Department of Roads has said that only those buildings encroaching upon the highway were demolished, the protesters have claimed that even those houses that were approved by the municipality office were razed down in the name of evicting illegal occupants.

The business community and local political parties have also supported the protest. Raj Kumar Neupane, chairman of Makwanpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry, accused the DoR of committing an indiscriminate raid on private properties.

 The DoR started its demolition drive on Monday from the Rapti river bridge. The Division Road Office had served an eviction notice to the occupants of the buildings constructed within 25 metres of either side of the highway.   

A DoR official said 700 houses built on encroached land will be demolished. He added that they had previously demolished the buildings of various government offices from the highway side.