National
Derelict Nuwakot palace awaits restoration
The reconstruction of Nuwakot Durbar, which was damaged in the 2015 April earthquake, has delayed as the Department of Archaeology (DoA) has not prioritised the palace renovation, according to the palace caretaker committee.Krishna Thapa
The reconstruction of Nuwakot Durbar, which was damaged in the 2015 April earthquake, has delayed as the Department of Archaeology (DoA) has not prioritised the palace renovation, according to the palace caretaker committee.
The seven-storey palace has suffered heavy damage in its fifth and sixth floors. The palace walls have been propped up with 29 iron poles to keep it upright. Visitors are barred from entering the palace.
Arjun Prasad Phuyal, one of the caretakers of the palace, said although the Chinese authorities had signed an agreement with the DoA to restore the palace, work has not started yet.
“We have no idea what the archaeology department is doing about the palace reconstruction,” he said.
The DoA has only inspected the palace and collected the damage details so far. “The debris have remained on the palace premises for a long time now. There have been no efforts to protect them from the government side.”
Meanwhile, the locals have demanded that the palace restoration project should be carried out by the government itself. Following the signing of the agreement between DoA and the Chinese side for the palace renovation, the locals have been voicing their concerns regarding the deal.
They fear that commissioning foreigners to restore the palace will undermine the authenticity.
“This palace is our heritage and it should be rebuilt by someone who are part of it. No foreigner is going to discern the details and nuances of the design and apply them while renovating the palace. Only the department of archaeology can restore this palace,” said Dhurba Pandey, a resident of Bidur Municipality.