By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Oct. 2: The reconstruction of the new Dharahara Tower has been moving ahead at the desired pace in recent days.
Construction of the 15th floor has been completed, and the workers are now busy working on the gradient of its 16th floor.
Construction of other structures like triple basement, four-storey museum, conservation of Sundhara stone spout has also been moving simultaneously, Raju Man Manandhar, an expert of the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA), said.
“Sundhara water spout reconstruction task will begin after getting approval from the Nepali Army. We are waiting for the approval from the army to dig outlet channel of Sundhara water spout in Tundikhel. The approval is necessary because the outlet channel will pass through the army compound,” he said.
The GIETC-Raman JV Company is building the Dharhara project. The contractor is demanding extension of deadline by a year because the earlier deadline is expiring on October 6, he added.
The new tower of Dharahara will be 79.2 metres tall, including the dome and pinnacle.
As per the master plan, the tower will have triple basement underground parking, the top part of the three-storey underground basement will be developed as a park with greenery with various facilities like water fountain and a museum.
Bhimsen Thapa, the first Prime Minister of modern Nepal, had built the tower in 1832. The nine-storey structure had 213 steps in its spiral staircase to the top and a balcony on the seventh storey.
But the original tower known as Bhinsen
Stambha collapsed twice due to the earthquakes of 1934 and 2015.
As per the plan of NRA, the remains of old Dharahara will be preserved keeping it inside a glass case after the completion of the retrofitting work.
The new Dharahara Tower will have 22 storeys from inside and 11 storeys from outside. The new tower will have two elevators and staircases inside it, Manandhar informed. Meanwhile, the main pinnacle of Balgopaleshwor temple of Ranipokhari was set up on Thursday after performing forgiveness worship (Chhyama Puja). Other four small pinnacles of the temple were also set up today.