DAMAK, JHAPA: Jhapa's Damak Municipality will have the world's tallest statue of Lord Buddha. A detailed report of the park construction project has been at its final stage, said the Executive Officer at the Municipality, Yubraj Dahal.

The estimated cost of the project is Rs 17.95 billion while the governments of Thailand, Japan and South Korea and various industrialists have shown interest in it, said Dahal.

The statue will be 542 feet tall and the project will start within (May -June), the Nepali month of Jestha with the plan to complete it within six years, Dahal said.

Out of the total 160 bighas of land allocated for the project that includes the construction of a park, the park will be built on around 20 bighas.

Likewise, the project will include construction of a pond on one bigha land and construction of Stupa, a monastery, the Bouddha University, meditation centre, shopping mall, hospital and a guest house for pilgrims, said Dahal.

The project aims to attract as many as tourists to the area and will offer job opportunities to hundreds of people, he said.