Kathmandu, May 19 The Kathmandu Metropolitan City has begun decorating the Bagh Durbar in preparations to welcome Kathmandu’s new mayor. The results of the local level elections is expected to be announced in a few days. “We are eagerly awaiting the results of elections and making preparations to set up the new KMC office,” said KMC CEO Ishwor Raj Paudel. Bagh Durbar, a Mughal-style building, was built by Amar Singh Thapa in the late 1700s. The palace was used by Rana rulers until it later became state property. Paudel said the KMC is setting up offices of the mayor and deputy mayor in the portion of Bagh Durbar that did not suffer as much damage as other portions of the building did in the 2015 earthquakes. Kathmandu Metropolitan City has allocated two million rupees to renovate the quake damaged building The building was used by the Ministry of Finance for a long time, before the ministry was shifted to Singha Darbar premises. Bagh Durbar will now be used as the office of the Kathmandu Metropolitan City. According to Paudel, KMC employees are working round-the-clock to decorate the building. The KMC has allocated Rs 2 million for construction works at the building. “The offices will be ready within a week,” Paudel said. Paudel also told The Himalayan Times that he has been working hard for the last few days to prepare the offices for the representatives to be elected soon. “I visited 16 ward offices yesterday and found some of them in miserable condition, and immediately ordered staffers to the offices ready before the ward chairs take charge,” he said. “We are doing all needful to prepare the mayor’s and deputy mayor’s offices, the meeting hall, the waiting rooms, the staff rooms, and my own office,” he added. A room at the first floor, previously used by the Minister of Finance, will be prepared for the mayor. Similarly, another room in the east wing of the same building will be prepared for the deputy mayor. “All maintenance work and furnishing of the offices will be finalised within ten days,” Poudel said. The KMC also plans to retrofit Bagh Durbar and will build a light structure as an alternative office within four months. It is also preparing to manage public movement in KMC which will eventually increase after the elected representatives assume their offices. “We are planning to introduce a token system for service seekers and other visitors in Bagh Durbar,” Paudel added.