Ex-king will leave Narayanhiti Wednesday: Home Minister
Home Minister Krishna Prasad Situala has revealed that former King
Gyanendra is preparing to shift to Nagarjuna palace from Narayanhiti on
Wednesday.
"The former king is leaving Narayanhiti tomorrow. While leaving, he will
also hand over the properties of the palace to the government," Situala
said, speaking at the Reporters Club today.
He also clarified that Gyanendra was given Nagarjuna palace for temporary
use as he requested the government to manage a place for his
accommodation. The decision to allow ex-queen mother Ratna and Gyanendra's
relative Sarala was done in response to a similar request, he added.
Meanwhile, former principal chief secretary of royal palace Pashupati
Bhakta Maharjan met Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala Tuesday morning
and informed about the ex-king's plan to shift to his new residence.
A team of security personnel inspected the Nagarjuna palace early this
morning to assess the situation there before the ex-king makes it his
formal residence, Nepal FM quoted Narayanhiti sources as saying. The
security team had reached at around 3 a.m.
On Monday, a government team had inspected Nagarjuna palace. The
inspection team told reporters that ex-royals would shift to the new
residence within three days.
The Nagarjuna palace comprises of 10 buildings including the ex-royals'
residence (Hemanta Bas), three guest houses (Barsha Bas, Sharad Bas and
Grishma Bas), one office secretariat and one staff quarters.
Shah's family will reside at the centrally-located two-storey Hemanta Bas.
It has two bedrooms, one dressing room and a meeting hall called Hemanta
Baithak on the ground floor. According to news reports, the rooms are not
majestic from any angle as expected in a palace.
The palace has nine government employees. nepalnews.com mk/ia June 10 08
