KMC to retrofit quake-hit Bagh Durbar

Kathmandu, February 6

The Kathmandu Metropolitan City has begun estimating cost for the retrofitting of Bagh Durbar, a building that used to house the KMC office before it was damaged by the April 25 earthquake.

The KMC had earlier begun the demolition process of Bagh Durbar for reconstruction, but the Department of Archeology had instructed them to stop, and retain Bagh Durbar as it is.

“The DoA instructed us to protect Bagh Durbar’s architecture through retrofitting,” Spokesperson of KMC Gyanendra Karki told The Himalayan Times, “We are now estimating the cost and developing the design for this.”

Karki said that KMC’s earlier design for the reconstruction of the Durbar used materials that did not protect its traditional architectural integrity.

Bagh Durbar is located to the west of Tundikhel. The palace was initially the property of Amar Singh Thapa and his descendants, but was later occupied by royal families, until it was handed over to the government. After the 2015 earthquake damaged the building, KMC office was shifted to Teku and City Hall. The KMC now plans to construct a multi-storeyed steel structure at Teku for its main office. The KMC informed that the building will be constructed at an investment of around Rs 200 million.

According to the KMC, the building will will cover an area of 45,000 square feet.