Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, January 28

The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) is introducing a public building code from tomorrow for all the new buildings that are to be built in metropolis. This new code will focus and try to ensure that the new buildings are built according to the earthquake-safety mode.

"The KMC will introduce the building code from January 29 so that no unsafe public house is built in the city area anymore," said the assistant chief executive officer, Gopal Parajuli.

The regulation is designed to bring about a uniformity in the public buildings of the city.

The government had implemented the public building code from mid-July last year.

KMC mayor Keshav Sthapit said the KMC would start by making a standard for ward office buildings. "We often give advice to the public to construct their houses following the standards set for earthquake-safety and others. But when we look at our own ward office buildings, we find a lot of things that need to be done," he said, adding that KMC should bring about a total change in most of the ward office building.

According to the Local Self-governance Act, all buildings, including the government buildings, should be approved by the local municipality, but KMC staff members claim that most of the government offices are built without due approval from the KMC.