The Nepalese government has extended until Friday the deadline for families displaced by recent evictions in the Kathmandu Valley to leave temporary reception centres.
The original deadline of 26 June was pushed back by one week after displaced residents and aid groups criticised the government for allowing too little time for people to find alternative accommodation.
Although the deadline has been extended, the financial support package remains unchanged. The government is offering a one-off payment of 25,000 Nepalese rupees (about US$165), along with a monthly rent allowance of 15,000 rupees (around US$100) for up to three months.
Many of those affected say the assistance is not enough to secure suitable housing in the Kathmandu Valley, where rental costs are high. They also fear they will have nowhere to go once the temporary support comes to an end.
The large-scale eviction campaign began in April, when authorities cleared informal settlements built on public land along riverbanks in and around Kathmandu. Government figures indicate that nearly 2,600 people were displaced, with around 1,500 still living in temporary shelters.
Communities along the Bagmati River in Thapathali, as well as settlements beside the Manohara River in Bhaktapur, were among those affected.
Residents said they were given only 24 hours to leave their homes before demolition work began. In response to the emergency, the government opened seven reception centres across Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Kavrepalanchok to provide temporary accommodation.
The first reception centre was established at Dasharath Stadium in Kathmandu's Tripureshwor area, where displaced families were registered before being transferred to other facilities.
The government's handling of the evictions has drawn criticism both within Nepal and internationally. The United Nations and several humanitarian organisations have expressed concern about the treatment of displaced families and questioned whether the operation respected the constitutional rights of those affected.
The United Nations also referred to two reported suicides involving people who had lost their homes during the eviction campaign.
Amnesty International criticised the operation, warning that it reflects growing concerns about respect for the rule of law and what it described as an increasingly authoritarian approach by the government.
Prime Minister Balendra Shah, who took office in March 2026, has defended the decision. He said the settlements were located in unplanned areas vulnerable to flooding and argued that relocating residents was necessary for their safety.
Shah also pledged that the government would develop a long-term solution by providing eligible families with new land. He said the project would also improve drainage across the Kathmandu Valley and help restore rivers that have become heavily polluted by rubbish and waste.
Before entering national politics, Shah served as Mayor of Kathmandu from 2022 to 2026. The former rapper rose to prominence with strong support from younger voters, particularly Generation Z, following political unrest that led to the collapse of the previous government in September 2025.
Despite the government's assurances, many displaced families remain uncertain about their future and continue to call for a permanent resettlement plan that provides stable housing rather than short-term financial assistance.
Adapted and rewritten from AsiaNews.
