Lalitpur, August 11:

Entry fee to be used for the project.

The amount generated from the tourist entrance service tax will be used for the maintenance of the Durbar Square area, according to Lalitpur sub-Metropolitan City (LMC). An amount of Rs 7.7 million was collected in the fiscal year 2004-05 as tourist entrance service tax, which is collected from six different counters at Lalitpur. “The LMC has prepared a Durbar Square Package and plans to use the amount for renovation of Narsimha temple, Hari Shankar temple, pave the alley at Wolkhu Tole with bricks and the path from Kobahal to Banglamukhi with stone, and for other necessary maintenance works in the Durbar Square,” said LMC spokesperson Ashok Shrestha. He added locals’ suggestions and views are welcome. Tourists from non-SAARC countries are charged Rs 200, while those from SAARC nations are charged Rs 25. More than 38,000 tourists from the non-SAARC region contributed Rs 7.5 million and over 6,000 other tourists contributed Rs 0.15 million in 2004-05, according to LMC.

The tax is collected from counters at Pulchowk, Patan Dhoka, Mulchowk Mangal Baazar, Tangal, Gwarko and Bal Kumari, which are open from 7 a.m to 7 p.m. Shrestha said LMC is considering setting up more stations to raise the revenue collection. The LMC started collecting tourist entrance service tax from 1999-2000. According to LMC data, Rs 20 million was collected in 2000-01, which is the largest till date, followed by Rs 12.14 million in 2003-04. Shrestha said the 2003-04 amount was used to repair the Sorakhutte Pati next, roof of

Narsimha temple, Mani Chaitya and stone pavement in its area, maintenance work around Bhimsen mandir. “The current project is a continuation of previous year’s work,” he said.