The proposition of limiting the building height had emerged for safety reason as Nepal lies in the earthquake-prone zone.

One official said that many experts had emphasised on paying attention to other aspects of construction like soil testing and quake-resistant designs, instead of limiting the building height which is not feasible in a city like Kathmandu.

Bhai Kaji Tiwari, commissioner at the Kathmandu Valley Development Authority, said the proposed building code has categorised the buildings into three layers and envisioned a separate construction requirements based on their height.

According to him, buildings taller than 17 metres will be required to take special permit from the government. It is also mandatory for such buildings to submit clearance certificate on soil quality, earthquake-resistant design and compound space, among others.

The proposed code has also envisioned more rigorous inspection and stringent punitive measures for violation of construction regulations, Tiwari said.

Though the existing building code has the provision of charging a fine up to Rs 50,000 for building code violation, the authorities have not fined anyone so far, nor have they demolished the buildings that were constructed without acquiring the approval.

Officials claim that nearly 90 percent buildings inside Kathmandu Valley have violated technical and legal requirements.

The initial assessment conducted by the authorities in the aftermath of the April 25 earthquake had found that most of the severely damaged buildings were built without following the prescribed building code.

Official at the Ministry of Local Development and Federal Affairs said that there could be changes in the amended code, which will be put for discussion with experts and engineers.

The process could take at least a month, said Purna Chandra Bhattarai, joint secretary at the Ministry of Local Development and Federal Affairs. Till then, he added, the ban on  construction of buildings taller than two-storey and plotting of land will remain.