Kathmandu. A foundation stone has been laid for the reconstruction and conservation of an ancient dharmashala, historic pond, park and artistic boundary wall at Bankali in ward no. 8 of Kathmandu metropolis.

Acting Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City Sunita Dangol and KMC Heritage and Tourism Committee Coordinator and Chairperson of Ward No. 8 Asha Man Sang performed puja and laid the foundation stone of the construction.

Speaking after laying the foundation stone, acting chief Dangol said that the project has been forwarded with the objective of creating an environment where the devotees visiting the Pashupatinath area can easily stay in the Pashupatinath area and pay obeisance. She said the target is to complete the works within a year.

“We have forwarded the plan with the goal of completing the project within a year. The ward has taken the lead. Coordination is being made with the Pashupati Area Development Trust. The plan will be completed with the active participation of all,” she said.

According to ward chair and committee coordinator Sangat, the reconstruction of Bankali Dharamshala will be carried out in two phases. In the first phase, the roof of the dharamshala will be repaired, planked, waterproofed and new roof will be installed in the place where the roof is not built. The contract was signed for Rs 13,254,613 through public procurement process for the repair of the roof, but about 90 percent of the work has been completed so far.

Stating that works are underway to restore the ancient identity of Bankali area, he said the pond that was buried between 2045 BS and 2050 BS would also be reconstructed.

The master plan of the project was prepared by the Urban Planning Commission of Kathmandu Metropolitan City. Architect Baburam Bhattarai, member of the commission, said that the reconstruction and reconstruction work will be carried out on around 12 ropanis and 6 ana land under the Pashupati Area Development Trust. The total cost of the project is Rs 3,65,13,432. The agreement was signed with the construction side on July 30, 2084 and the construction period is till July 23, 2084.

36 Room Dharamshala restored to its original form

The 36-room dharamshala building spread over around one ropani area had been in a dilapidated condition for a long time. The windows and doors of the buildings were cracked, the roofs were leaking, and in some places there was no roof, so there was no human habitation.

Now, the Dharamshala building will be renovated in its original form. Separate toilets and bathing rooms for men and women will be constructed on both sides of each floor to facilitate the accommodation of the devotees. After the construction, the dharamshala will have 24 toilets and 20 bathing rooms.

Along with sanitation and sanitation work, the dharamshala building will also be connected with the pipeline and electricity for drinking water.

parks targeted at all age groups

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An attractive park will be constructed in front of the Dharamshala building for devotees and visitors. The park will have various structures and facilities keeping in mind all age groups. Senior citizens will be provided with a place for general exercise and yoga, a plank to rest and chairs. Exercise equipment and badminton courts will be constructed for the youth. Trampoline, monkey bar, chiplet, and other sports materials will be arranged for children.

Benches and chairs will be placed in open spaces on the premises. There is also a plan to construct water fountains and small and big squares for people to live in. During the construction, arrangements will be made to soak the rainwater in the ground.

According to Architect Engineer Gaurav Shrestha, the main work of the reconstruction will begin after cleaning up an area of around 6,381 square meters. Some 3,230 cubic meters of soil and sand will be used to construct the pond and prepare the garden.

A total of 150 saplings of 4 feet height and 30 saplings of 8 feet height will be planted in the garden. In addition, a green area with 600 seasonal flowers and 250 poli hedges will be developed.

Artistic boundary wall construction

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The boundary wall will be constructed around 350 meters in length. About 1,354 square meters of the wall will be placed. Traditional artistic styles with cassimo motifs and Palefo motifs will be used on the walls.

Similarly, traditional Telia tile will be placed on 227.79 square meters of ground area. The tiles will be used in a total area of 397.99 square meters including the floor and walls. With the completion of the project, Bankali Dharamshala area is expected to regain its original historical and cultural identity and develop it as an important destination for accommodation, leisure, entertainment and religious tourism for the devotees visiting the Pashupati area.