The Saurapani Police Post in Sulikot Rural Municipality, Gorkha, is a tent put up after the 2015 earthquake demolished the post’s rented building. The structure leaks water when it rains, and sways uncontrollably when a strong wind blows.

Since the 2015 quakes, two tents and a mud hut have been serving as the police post.

“One of the tents have developed holes and is unusable; the other is getting worn,” Dipak Dhakal, a local, said. Before the quakes, a building meant to house the police post was under-construction in Tinchautari Danda. The quake struck two days before the scheduled construction of the house’s concrete roof, destroying whatever structure was in place then.

Since then, there have been no efforts to reconstruct the building, even though almost all of the houses in the area have been rebuilt.

“The concrete buildings of the ward office and a health post stand nearby in sharp contrast to the makeshift police post’,” Dhakal added.

A policeman, on condition of anonymity, said, “The main pillar of the hut is decaying and it’s only a matter of time before it collapses. Hence, we are currently sleeping under a tent, which is better than the hut, but not by much.”

Eight personnel are currently employed at the post.

Bishnu Bhatta, chair of the rural municipality, said his office has started the process of acquiring land to build a police post.

“We need about two ropanis of land to build a police post. We are planning to start work this year,” he said.

Besides Saurapani Police Post, two other police posts in the northern side of the district—Border Police Post in Larke and Jagat Police Post—are also operating from tents. Over two dozen security personnel are currently deployed in these two posts. Likewise, police posts in Marbu and Arkhet also do not have sufficient infrastructure.

SP Om Adhikari, chief of District Police, Gorkha, said that his office has notified the central police office about the lack of infrastructure.

“The necessary buildings will be constructed soon,” he said. “We are coordinating with the local units to procure the required land.”