Kathmandu, April 22

Public vehicles plying Kathmandu roads will park, pick and drop passengers at Khulamanch in the heart of the capital during the construction of the Kathmandu View Tower, which is proposed to be built at Old Bus Park.

Spokesperson at the Kathmandu Metropolitan City Gyanendra Karki said preparations were under way to fence Khulamanch with zinc sheets to make place for public vehicles to pick and drop passengers.

Soon after the fencing completes, the area will be used as a temporary pick-and-drop station for public vehicles plying Kathmandu roads, he added. Karki said construction was delayed due to change in the design of the proposed tower.

Although a 29-storey design had been approved prior to the earthquakes last year, the authorities have only approved construction of 12-storey building in the first phase. The proposed building will be earthquake resistant, said the KMC.

Detailed project report and environment impact assessment report on the project have already been prepared, according to the KMC.

Chief at the Revenue Division of the KMC Mahesh Kafle said the Jaleshwor Swachchhanda B-COE Builders Pvt Ltd was awarded the contract to construct the tower.

The project is expected to complete in five years.

The contractor will own and run the project for 25 years before handing it over to the government, he said. The estimated cost of the view tower is around Rs 3.5 billion.