Palpa, April 2:

King Gyanendra arrived in Palpa today and inspected the infrastructure of the historical Tansen Durbar that was damaged in a Maoist attack on January 31.

He also inspected the District Police Office and Silkhan (storehouse of military equipment) of the Royal Nepalese Army.

On the occasion, chairman of the Palpa District Development Committee Min Bahadur

Kunwar apprised the King of the extent of damage the attack had caused The King ordered initiation of work for the Durbar’s reconstruction at the earliest, said Dhata Nanda Bhattarai, mayor of Tansen municipality.

Bhattarai briefed the King on different issues, including the possibility of tourism development in Tansen.

The King walked for a kilometre from Makhan Tole of Tansen to Lahare Peepal. Locals welcomed the King in the stadium when he landed there by a special helicopter.

Hari Rayamajhi, chairman of Palpa Industrial and Commerce Union, social worker Bhuyuman Ligal, Chief District Officer Bal Krishna Panthi, district judge Lekh Nath Sharma Regmi and chiefs of the district-based government offices welcomed the King.

The King also went to the Bhairavsthan temple and offered puja there.

Temple priests, Jeet Nath Yogi and Bhim Nath Yogi, welcomed the King with garlands and prasad. The King also listened patiently to a Bhairavsthan village development committee official Loknath Gyawali and a local Basanta Thapa about the drinking water problem in the VDC.