The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) restored the power supply to Mahendra Manjil on Monday, less than 24 hours after the state-owned utility disconnected the electricity lines to the residence of former Queen Mother Ratna Rajya Laxmi Shah.

The authority’s move follows a letter from the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MCTC) to Energy Ministry asking the latter to restore the power supply to the property.

Acting on the Energy Minister Janardan Sharma’s direction to the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) to disconnect power supply to top 10 defaulting customers, the authority on Sunday disconnected power supply of Mahendra Manjil.

“Our ministry wrote to the Energy Ministry that it would foot the outstanding electricity bill of Mahendra Manjil,” said Ghanshyam Upadhyaya, spokesperson for the MCTC. “The MCTC has repeatedly asked the Ministry of Finance Ministry to release Rs4.3 million to clear the electricity bills. The payment will be made to the NEA as soon as the amount is released.”