LALITPUR, JULY 19
Almost 90 per cent reconstruction work of Bhimsen temple in Patan Durbar Square has been completed.
The 2015 earthquake and subsequent aftershocks had caused cracks in the wooden structure of the temple in its upper stair.
Immediate past president of Lalitpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry Krishna Lal Maharjan said the task of installing roof after erecting the temple walls was under way.
"We have set a target of completing the reconstruction of the temple within upcoming mid-October if the lockdown is not enforced again to stem the tide of coronavirus cases," he shared.
"Nepal Investment Bank yesterday handed over the remaining pledged amount of Rs 5 million for temple reconstruction," Maharjan informed.
Locals had joined hands to raise funds for reconstruction of the devastated temple with the slogan 'Let us build our heritage on our own' after no side showed interest to that end. The Indian government had pledged to reconstruct the temple, but it also remained abortive. Hence, the locals took the initiative to rebuild the temple.
Though the primary reconstruction cost of the temple was estimated to be at Rs 49.3 million, it went up.
A version of this article appears in the print on July 20 2021, of The Himalayan Times.
