NRA to retrofit Gallery Baithak

KATHMANDU, Feb 22: The National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) has decided to retrofit the historical Gallery Baithak building located on Singha Durbar premises. The building, which served as the parliament building for many years until a decade ago, was damaged during the April 2015 earthquakes. 

From right, actors Sitaram Kattel (Dhurmus) and Kunjana Ghimire (Suntali) in this recent picture. Image: Republica

A meeting of the NRA executive committee on Tuesday assigned the task to the committee headed by NRA executive member Dr Hariram Parajuli that was formed in February first week to retrofit the main building of Singha Durbar.

“The meeting has decided to retrofit the building and renovate it,” said Yam Lal Bhoosal, spokesman for NRA. “The existing committee which was formed to retrofit the western part of the historical Singha Durbar complex has been assigned the conservation task of the Gallery Baithak building as well.” He said that the NRA is committed to preserving the Rana-era buildings for a long time to come and that it will do all it can to renovate all other historical buildings like Singha Durbar and Gallery Baithak. 

The Baithak building has remained unused for the last decade. It was decorated during the 18th South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit in November 2014.

Bhoosal informed Republica that the committee will also conduct a study to analyze the condition of other such buildings following the earthquakes. The meeting also decided to provide the second tranche of the reconstruction grant by March 28 to the households which had received the first tranche before January 13.

Last year, the government allocated Rs 5 billion for the reconstruction of all the government buildings. According to the government, at least 2,688 government buildings were fully damaged while 3,779 government houses were partially damaged by the earthquakes.

First apeared in Republica national daily.