KATHMANDU: The government has finally initiated preparations to rebuild the Godavari Sunrise Convention Hall, which was vandalized and set on fire during the so-called Gen-Z protests about six and a half months ago.
The convention center, located in Ward-3 of Godawari Municipality, was targeted by unruly groups during the protests, leaving the zinc and aluminum structure severely damaged.
The facility falls under the Department of Urban Development and Building Construction, which is responsible for federal government infrastructure. Officials say the department has now begun assessing the extent of damage to begin reconstruction.
Prakash Aryal, deputy director general of the department and head of the reconstruction, restoration and strengthening division, said the assessment of structural damage has already been carried out.
“Except for the roof, most of the structure, including walls, reinforced concrete components and steel bars, appears to be usable,” Aryal said.
According to him, the roof, which was made of corrugated sheets, was completely destroyed in the fire and will need to be rebuilt entirely. The department has already started preparing a new design for the structure.
Aryal added that a multi-year procurement plan for the reconstruction has already been approved. The design phase is expected to take about a month, after which the estimated budget for reconstruction will be determined.
The international-standard hall, with a capacity of around 3,000 seats, spreads across 43 ropanis and 15 annas of land. It features facilities such as sound-absorbing interiors, earthquake-resistant structures, disability-friendly access, VIP rooms, support rooms and translation booths.
The hall was inaugurated on May 14, 2021, by then prime minister KP Sharma Oli after the foundation stone had been laid in October 2019. Built at a cost of around Rs 810 million, it is considered one of the largest convention halls in the country.
Before the construction of the Godavari facility, the government mainly relied on the International Convention Centre for large national and international conferences.
However, that center was also damaged by arson and vandalism during the Gen-Z protests. The Department of Urban Development and Building Construction has deployed a technical team to study the damage there as well.
Officials say the roof section of the older convention center has been rendered unusable, and structural testing, including checks of pillars, RCC components and slabs, is currently underway. The assessment is expected to take about two months before redesign work begins, with reconstruction planned for the following year.
Meanwhile, the government has decided that meetings of the House of Representatives of Nepal will now be held at Singha Durbar. The oath-taking ceremony of newly elected lawmakers was also conducted there on Wednesday in a multipurpose hall of a building currently under construction.
Comment