52 commercial shutters and stalls that have been operating in the busy commercial center of Pokhara, Amarsingh Chowk for the past four decades have finally been removed. The long-running dispute between Amarsingh Secondary School and the businessmen doing business there was resolved by mutual agreement, and the businessmen completely vacated their shutters on Monday within the stipulated time limit.

Despite the decision of the school management committee and the legal process, the businessmen were initially reluctant to vacate the stalls. Earlier, the school had issued a final public notice of 15 days, asking them to vacate the space for the construction of a new structure. In an all-party discussion initiated by the Pokhara Metropolitan City, the businessmen agreed to vacate the shutters by 4 Jestha.

Businessman Om Subedi, who has been doing business at the location for more than 20 years, said that they vacated the shutters as per the agreement, saying that they would not become an obstacle for the greater good and development of the school. The school's principal, Balram Pokharel, said that it was a happy thing that the tent was removed by mutual agreement after a long legal and administrative hassle. According to him, the school management committee has made a plan to construct a new modern commercial structure on the valuable land owned by the school, which is connected to the Prithvi Highway and Hospital Road, keeping in mind the beautification of Amarsingh Chowk.

These tents, which have been rented by various people since 2040, had to be removed due to the ongoing Prithvi Highway upgrade work and the school's master plan. Earlier, the mutual agreement has given both parties an easy way out, as the writs and cases filed in the Pokhara High Court and Kaski District Court have been dismissed. The school has stated that the process of constructing a new commercial building will soon be taken forward with the shutters being vacated.

Pokhara Metropolitan City Mayor Dhanraj Acharya said that the tents left by the businessmen will be leveled with a bulldozer on Tuesday. ‘This will send a message to those occupying public land elsewhere to vacate within the specified time,’ he said.

Earlier, Pokhara Metropolitan City and the Pokhara Valley Urban Development Committee under the Ministry of Urban Development had issued separate notices and given an ultimatum to remove unauthorized structures built on public land within 35 days. The metropolis had issued the notices on 4 Baisakh and the Valley Urban Development Committee on 9 Baisakh. The deadline given by the metropolis ends on 4 Jestha and the deadline given by the committee ends on 9 Jestha. The metropolis is preparing to remove structures built encroaching on public land, especially in areas such as Prithvi Chowk and Firke Khola.

As per the notice, the building built by the All Nepal Trade Union Federation, close to the Nepal Communist Party, on the land of the Valley Urban Development Committee near the Prithvi Chowk Transport Office, has already been vacated. GEFONT near UML and trade union Congress close to Congress, Sahara Club, Community Police, Himalayan Cultural Family are not making any effort to move as the deadline passes .