As the implementation of the Supreme Court’s decision on the expansion of Birgunj’s highway progresses, homeowners and traders along the main road have begun protesting against it. On March 12, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Road Department’s plan to widen the main road from Gandak Chowk to Miteri Bridge via Murali, Ghantaghar, Maisthan, Adarshnagar, Chhapakaiya, and Birgunj Customs. The expansion, covering 25 meters on both sides, falls under the Tribhuvan Highway.
To enforce this decision, the Road Division Office, Hetauda, directed the Survey Office, Birgunj, on March 22 to demarcate the designated area for expansion. Additionally, in a meeting on March 19, initiated by Birgunj Metropolitan City, government office heads along the main road pledged to remove their structures immediately. However, as soon as implementation began, affected homeowners and traders started protesting. They demand that the government compensate them for their properties if the expansion proceeds.
Jawahar Prasad Gupta, coordinator of the Birgunj Bachau Sangharsha Committee, announced that the Birgunj market would be closed on Thursday morning until noon. He added that homeowners and traders would gather at Adarshnagar Chowk at 10 am, march to the District Administration Office in Parsa, and submit a memorandum to the Prime Minister through the Chief District Officer.
A meeting of affected homeowners and traders has been scheduled for Wednesday at Ranisati Athi Sadan, where further protest plans will be decided. Gupta, also the ward chairman of Birgunj-9, stated, “We want development, but not at the cost of making us homeless.” He argued that expanding the main road by 25 meters on each side is unnecessary, as alternative roads, including bypass and inner bypass routes, already exist. According to him, the expansion would displace over 1,100 homeowners and disrupt businesses operating in the affected buildings.
Arvind Gupta, a homeowner in Murali, criticized the decision’s execution, stating, “The full text of the Supreme Court’s verdict has not been released, yet authorities are using fear tactics against homeowners and traders.” He vowed to continue protesting, saying, “We will take to the streets, no matter the consequences.” He further argued that many streets in Birgunj lack adequate space for fire engines and ambulances, yet the focus remains on demolishing the main road, which he believes would erase the city’s history and character. “If the expansion goes through, Birgunj will lose its identity,” he added.
The road widening project has faced resistance for three decades. In 2012, affected homeowners sought legal action after the government ordered the removal of structures in the designated area. In 2019, residents—including Laxman Sah Rauniyar, Birendra Kumar Sanghai, Rajkumari Devi Tulsyan, Bharatsah Rauniyar, and Sudhir Kumar Barnawal—filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court, demanding cancellation of the project, compensation, and an alternative route. After 27 hearings, on March 12, a joint bench of Justices Binod Sharma and Mahesh Sharma Poudel dismissed the petition, ruling in favor of the government.
