Tourism entrepreneurs join hands for reconstruction of Manakamana Temple

Kathmandu, September 5

To ensure reconstruction works of famous Manakamana Temple is not stalled for the want of funds, tourism entrepreneurs have joined hands to generate the necessary resources for the same.

Manakamana Darshan Pvt Ltd — the owner of Manakamana Cable Car — along with hotels and travel tours operators, have announced 15 per cent discount in services from today until September 16. The offer has been launched to lure more pilgrims or travellers to generate necessary funds for reconstruction of the Manakamana Temple.

Reconstruction of the famous Manakamana Temple, located in Gorkha district, is being carried out since last year and 50 per cent of the work has been completed so far.

Manakamana Darshan, along with its authorised tour operators and hotels/resorts located in Manakamana area and Kurintar like Manakamana Rising Resort, Dalima Resort, and Riverside Spring Resort have joined hands to provide donation for the reconstruction of the Manakamana Temple.

All tourism entrepreneurs operating in the area have announced 15 per cent discount in all services. The funds generated within the period of around two weeks will be donated to the Manakamana Temple Reconstruction Committee.

Manakamana Temple, a symbol of faith for Hindus, was damaged in the devastating Gorkha earthquake of last year. The total cost of reconstructing the temple is expected to hover at around Rs 110 million as it has to meet the criteria set by the Department of Archaeology, according to Narendra Babu Shrestha, convenor of the reconstruction committee. The reconstruction works are expected to be completed within a year.

According to an estimation made by the Department of Archaeology some four year back, the cost of reconstruction of the temple would hover around Rs 80 million. However, the government has provided only Rs 40 million for the reconstruction. Hence, the locals and business enterprises of Gorkha and Kurintar have decided to reconstruct the temple by generating the shortfall through a donation drive and Manakamana Darshan has announced it would

donate Rs 10 million for reconstruction of the temple.

As per Bhesh Narayan Dahal, director general of Department of Archaeology, the National Reconstruction Authority has approved only 48 projects among 145 projects related to heritage sites that were proposed for reconstruction citing resource constraints. “This is why the department is not in a position to provide sufficient resources for the heritage sites within this fiscal,” Dahal explained.

The government has allocated Rs 140 billion for the post-earthquake reconstruction in this fiscal, 2016-17.