KATHMANDU: Local residents have urged Prime Minister (PM) KP Sharma Oli to take concrete steps to restore the natural water flow in the historic Sundhara and to ensure the proper conservation of the remains of the old Dharahara tower.
A delegation comprising Kathmandu Metropolitan City Ward No. 22 Chairperson Chinikaji Maharjan and CPN-UML Kathmandu District Committee Secretary Rajesh Shakya met with Prime Minister Oli at his Baluwatar residence on Friday.
They thanked him for the initiative taken to reconstruct the Dharahara tower and develop the surrounding area into an open garden with a currency and earthquake museum, as well as the country’s largest underground parking facility.
The delegation, however, raised concerns about the long-standing disruption of Sundhara’s natural water flow.
They informed the Prime Minister that in 2044 BS, the Employees Provident Fund began constructing an office building with a two-storey underground parking lot above the Sundhara area, which severely damaged the natural 24-hour water flow. Following public outcry, the then Nagar Panchayat revoked the construction permit.
Later in 2057 BS, the Kathmandu Metropolitan City leadership reached an agreement to repair the affected underground water system and revise the building’s design to prevent further damage—without completing a formal map approval process.
The delegation reported that Sundhara’s drainage remains blocked due to indiscriminate dumping of materials, and the city lacks the necessary resources to restore it.
They also noted that during consultations held before the reconstruction of the earthquake-damaged Dharahara tower, the National Reconstruction Authority and local communities had recommended prioritizing the conservation of Sundhara’s historic, cultural, and religiously significant water source.
They had also called for preserving the collapsed remains of the original tower. However, these suggestions have not been fully implemented.
In response, Prime Minister Oli acknowledged the importance of preserving Kathmandu’s cultural heritage and assured that the federal government would support conservation efforts.
He emphasized the need for coordinated institutional action within the Kathmandu Metropolitan City to protect and restore heritage sites.
Comment