KATHMANDU, Aug 29: The reconstruction work of Balgopaleshwar temple at the center of Ranipokhari has been halted for flouting archaeological norms.

The Department of Archaeology requested the concerned authorities to halt the reconstruction work after some experts and activists expressed serious objections over the ongoing reconstruction work of the historic temple. They also criticized the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) office for breaking the archaeological norms during renovation work.
The DoA had requested the KMC office to halt the reconstruction work of temple last week.

“The reconstruction of the temple carried out by the KMC office is against the archaeological norms,” said Ram Bahadur Kunwar, spokesperson at the DoA. “This is not what DoA had consulted for the reconstruction of the temple. So, we requested the KMC for the suspension of the reconstruction works.”

The temple was damaged by last year's devastating earthquake and the KMC had been carrying out reconstruction of the temple since the last three months.

The reconstruction of the temple was being carried out by using modern materials and technology that is against the laws of renovating ancient monuments. The experts and activists had also claimed that using concrete pillars and foundations would break the archaeological norms.

“Using concrete pillars in the reconstruction of the temple has broken the rules,” said Kunwar. “We will discuss with the KMC and will decide further plans of reconstruction by abiding by the archaeological norms.” Uttar Regmi, chief of the infrastructure development department at the KMC, said that both the bodies have agreed to discuss how to proceed ahead. He said that they will discuss to resume the reconstruction.