Dharahara to open daily from 8 AM to 8 PM

KATHMANDU: The iconic Dharahara tower in central Kathmandu will now be open to the public from 8 AM to 8 PM daily, starting July 16.

The Ministry of Urban Development announced that the change comes in response to widespread public demand for extended visiting hours.

Currently, the tower is open from 10 AM to 4 PM and remains closed on public holidays. However, from July 16, Dharahara will also remain open on holidays, while its weekly off day will be shifted from Saturday to Wednesday, according to ministry spokesperson Narayan Mainali.

Mainali said the tower would now operate in two shifts to accommodate more visitors, aligning with public feedback that the earlier hours were too short, especially on weekends and holidays.

This decision follows instructions from Deputy Prime Minister and Urban Development Minister Prakash Man Singh, who had asked the ministry to make operations more accessible to the public.

Dharahara, rebuilt after the devastating 2015 earthquake, was first reopened on a trial basis on September 19, 2024. It was officially opened to the public with an entry fee on November 24 last year. Since then, more than 237,065 people have visited the site, generating over Rs 43.3 million in ticket revenue.

The tower, managed under the Central Project Implementation Unit (Building and Housing), is now run as a paid public monument under the 2081 Directive for Management of Special Structures.