Ministry of Culture expedites reconstruction of quake-damaged cultural heritages

Kathmandu, Jan 22: The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has made notable strides in the conservation and reconstruction of cultural heritages damaged by earthquakes in 2015 and 2023.

The Ministry had set a target to carry out the reconstruction of 25 such cultural heritages within the current fiscal year 2024/25.

By the middle of the fiscal year (mid-January), 27 such heritages have been successfully rebuilt and preserved, surpassing its target.

Progress relating to the reconstruction of cultural heritages was, however, slower in the last fiscal year with 13 out of 24 planned stupas being completed across Dhading, Rasuwa, Sindhupalchowk and Dolakha districts.

This year, the Ministry attained impressive progress in cultural heritage preservation efforts.

Joint Secretary Ramkrishna Lamichhane informed that 20 heritage conservation works were scheduled for fiscal year 2023/24, a total of 40 have been completed so far.

Joint Secretary Lamichhane further said that the Ministry has developed a concept paper for building eco-hill stations and establishing tourism spots on hilltops and thus has taken forward the location selection process.

The Ministry has monitored three airline companies to ensure compliance with safety standards.

Similarly, out of 50,000 pages that were to be collected, catalogued and preserved using chemicals, 10,000 pages have been collected and catalogued and preserved.

In a continuation of conservation work of heritage sites at Simraunagadh area in Bara district, the Ministry said that a notice of bidding has been published and evaluated and a mandate has been given.

Also, the expansion of the road network to the eastern side of Bihar area in Bihar State of India under the Lumbini Master Plan recorded 68 per cent progress in the current fiscal year while electrification and road construction works at the cultural centre under the Lumbini Masterplan have been completed by 84 per cent till date, the Ministry added.

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