Nepal Embarks on NPR 180 Million Plan of Renovation for SAARC summit

Kathmandu:  Nepal has embarked on a NPR 180 million plan to renovate and beautify the capital city for the upcoming 18th SAARC summit here in November.

Steps to maintain greenery and beautify Kathmandu are on in view of the SAARC summit scheduled to kick off from November 26-27, 2014, according to Dhan Bahadur Shrestha, Chief Executive Officer of Kathmandu Metropolitan Corporation.

“The Sanitation and City Decoration Committee headed by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Local Development Prakash Man Singh has taken active initiation to maintain greenery at Kathmandu city,” he said.

The committee was set after the cabinet meeting on Tuesday. It is mainly responsible for grooming Kathmandu into a clean and green city, Mr Shrestha said.

The first phase of whitewashing at Martyrs’ Gate, Clock Tower, Ranipokhari pond, Ratnapark, Shantibatika has already started.

Road expansion and maintenance of worn and torn roads have also started as part of the preparation works, Mr Shrestha said. “The Kathmandu Metropolitan Corporation has already called tender for some of the major sites where maintenance and renovation works are required,” Mr Shrestha said.

National flags are being installed on both sides of the roads at these places.

The government has allocated NPR 180 million for cleaning campaign, white wash, maintaining greenery and renovation works, Mr Shrestha said.

City Hall, the main venue of the regional summit is undergoing complete renovation and facelift for the purpose.

Nepal is hosting the SAARC summit after an interval of 12 years. The country previously hosted the summit in 2002.

Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are the eight members of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).