Families displaced from informal settlements in Kathmandu are struggling to adjust to temporary shelters in Kirtipur and other parts of the city, raising concerns about privacy, healthcare, food, and long-term rehabilitation.
Dozens of families evicted from settlements in Thapathali, Manohara, Shantinagar, Sinamangal, and other areas were moved to holding centres after authorities carried out demolitions earlier this week. At the Radhaswami Satsang centre in Kirtipur, around 47 households are currently living in open sheds with tin roofs and no internal partitions.
Many displaced residents say the shelters lack basic privacy and stability despite having access to toilets, drinking water, and medical checkups. Security personnel stationed at the shelters have also imposed strict entry and exit rules, which some residents say make them feel controlled rather than supported.
Women with infants and young children appear to be among the hardest hit. Mothers staying at the shelters described difficulties feeding babies, accessing warm water on time, and finding nutritious food. Several said babies were unable to sleep properly because of noise, mosquitoes, and cold floors. Some families only received tents days after arriving.
The uncertainty over what comes next has added to the anxiety. Parents said they are worried about children missing school and about whether promised housing support would eventually require rent payments they cannot afford.
Some displaced families have been placed in hotels and lodges across Kathmandu, but many there report similar struggles caring for children in crowded and unfamiliar conditions.
Officials say the government is continuing to collect data on displaced households and will screen families before deciding on long-term rehabilitation plans.
