Kathmandu, January 25

The Kashthamandap Reconstruction Committee has stated that the reconstruction of the seventh-century monument is moving ahead smoothly.

According to the committee, 12 per cent work on reconstruction of the structure has been completed so far. Work on rebuilding the first floor would be completed by the end of the current fiscal year, while it would take three years to build the entire structure, shared committee president Rajesh Shakya.

The committee has received altogether 814.52 cubic feet wood and Rs 50.5 million for the reconstruction project so far. Only 10 to 15 per cent wood retrieved after the monument was destroyed in the 2015 earthquakes is resusable, according to chief of the Hanumandhoka Durbar Herchah Adda Aruna Nakarmi.

Culture expert Sudarshan Raj Tiwari said given the progress of Kashtamandap reconstruction, it would set an example for the rebuilding of other quake-damaged historical monuments. The monument is believed to have been made from wood of a single tree.

Bricks and timber are also being procured to avoid stagnancy in the reconstruction process, while four major pillars are set to be erected by the end of this month. Locals have been demanding that monuments destroyed during the 2015 earthquakes be rebuilt without delay.