Kathmandu, October 18

The Hanumandhoka Durbar Area Conservation Committee has established a trust for reconstruction and restoration of the historic and cultural monuments that suffered partial, extensive and full damages during the massive earthquake which struck on April 25.

The committee has also hiked the entry fee for tourists visiting the Durbar Square from existing Rs 750 to Rs 1,000. The tourists visiting from countries other than the member states of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) were being charged Rs 750 before the introduction of the new fee. The committee plans to collect the additional charge of Rs 250 into the new fund.

The entry fee for tourists from SAARC member states has been kept unchanged at Rs 150. Kathmandu Metropolitan City had decided to hike the rate recently which is now being implemented, said Committee Programme Chief Narendra Bilash Bajracharya.

On an average, around 400 tourists used to visit the Kathmandu Durbar Square per day at this time of the year before the quake struck. The number has now declined to 250.