The Nepal Army on Friday handed over the Jit Gadhi Fort to the Butwal Sub-metropolitan City following the completion of its renovation.

Chief of the Army Staff General Prabhu Ram Sharma handed over the historic site to Mayor Khel Raj Pandey in the presence of President Ramchandra Paudel amid a special function, the Army said in a statement.

The fort is a historical landmark where the Nepali force, under the leadership of the then Colonel Ujir Singh Thapa (1871-1872 BS), fought the British with indomitable courage, skill and valour and won, the national army said.

The Nepal Army, in collaboration with the local government, has built some structures depicting battlefield scenes at the fort. The historic site has 13 statues of those who fought in the war including a life-size statue of Colonel Thapa, war paintings, a garden and fortification walls.

Speaking at the event, President Paudel stated that the fort was a site of national pride and identity, as well as a sign of Nepal’s victory against empirical powers.

In order to develop Jit Gadhi as a tourist destination, it is necessary to integrate it with other historical, archaeological, religious and cultural sites nearby, Paudel said.

“I am happy that the sub-metropolis has come up with strategic plans to transform the fort into a tourist spot through timely promotion.”

Lumbini Province Head Amik Sherchan, Lumbini Chief Minister Dilli Bahadur Chaudhary, local representatives, and government officials also attended the programme.