KATHMANDU: The temple of Goddess Bhagwati at Naxal — built in pagoda style some 150 years ago — is on the verge of collapse.

According to the local users’ committee, the temple has developed a crack from top to the bottom posing a threat to visiting devotees.

“The temple hasn’t been renovated for decades,” said Dev Ratna Shakya, vice president of the users’ committee. As per the existing law, the temple cannot be renovated without approval from the Kathmandu Metropolitan City and the Department of Archaeology.

Suraj Shakya, engineer at the Heritage Division of the KMC, claimed

that the KMC had approved the renovation plan and forwarded it to the DoA six months ago, adding that the renovation project was likely to begin in November.

The KMC has allocated Rs 6.8 million for renovation of the temple. He claimed that the temple was last renovated in 1970.