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Kathmandu Saturday December 22, 2001 Paush 07, 2058.
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Buildings at Ranipokhari to
be demolished
Post Report
KATHMANDU, Dec 21 – After the
acquisition of Tinkune and Maitighar land area for the preparation of the upcoming SAARC
Summit, the Cabinet decided Thursday to pull down different constructions located south of
the ancient water pond, Ranipokhari.
The land owned by the Public Auditorium and
Garden Development Committee (PAGDC) is now possessed by the Ministry of Local
Development.
According to sources, the Ministry is handing
over the area to KMC for demolition.
The historical pond was constructed by King
Pratap Malla in around 1650 AD to console his bereived wife with water varieties from
scores of shrines of Nepal and India.
There are around two dozen shops, a building
which houses Kathmandu Metropolitan City’s Urban Development Department, a restaurant
and a petrol pump.
Executive Officer of KMC Surya Silwal said
that though the Cabinet decided to demolish the eyesore structure in preparation of the
SAARC Summit, no formal letter as such received till Friday evening.
"We can clear the area within three or
four days after we receive a formal letter," he said. He said that KMC would at least
demolish the constructions and clear the debris before the SAARC Summit.
Officials at KMC said that the Kathmandu
mayor has been asking the government to handover that area to KMC so that a park could be
made by demolishing the constructions that simply blocked the beauty of the historic pond.
The Kathmandu Valley Mapping Programme has
already made a design for the Ranipokhari Park with SARRC 2001 and flags of the seven
member countries.
The ancient pond was constantly encroached
from all sides. Earlier there was a rest-house next to the statue of the creator on a
elephant with his family.
In 13 November 2000, PAGDC tried to lease its
1200 sq feet of area on the northern side to a private party which could not take place
due to media uproar.
A decision to demolish the whole building
came with a scheme to beatify the ancient pond after the incident but it could not
materialise, said a KMC official.
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