Officials said over 29,000 people have visited the park since it was re-opened on June 30. Located at the heart of the city, Ratna park had undergone a complete facelift at the cost of Rs 8 million.

Chief of Environment Division at the KMC Rabin Man Shrestha said the metropolis is planning to open a café and install a Wi-fi router in a month to provide free internet service to the visitors. “We have already designed a map of the café and will call for tenders. We are almost ready to offer free Wi-fi facility,” he said.

Also on the metropolis’s list are plans to upgrade the park’s greenery and turn it into a more child-friendly facility. “Sanitation inside the park is one of our main concerns,” said Harisharan KC, unit chief of Ratna park and Ranipokhari of KMC’s Environment Division. The park employs 12 people for regular maintenance and security surveillance.

The officials believe that addition of these amenities to the park will attract more visitors. Around 800 people visit the park a day, 25 percent of the visitors are student, according to KC.

The entry ticket is priced at Rs 25 for adults and Rs15 for students, while the entry is free for the elderly, differently able people and children. The metropolis expects to collect around Rs4.5 million annually and the proceeds will go to the KMC tax department.

The KMC officials said the majority of visitors are from the 20-35 age group, while the park welcomes on an average seven elderly people and 10 differently-abled people a day.

Once a hangout for the jobless, drunkards, drug users, prostitutes, the park has put behind its messy past, KC noted. “People’s perception about Ratna park has changed now. The park is abuzz with lots of families on public holidays.”

Established in 1964 after the name of Queen Ratna, the second wife of King Mahendra, the park spreads over 42 ropanis of land.