A proposal to this effect comes after the minister of culture accepted a Korean offer of US$ 2 million assistance for “Master Plan for the Lumbini World Peace City Preservation and Development”.[break]
“The government has already given its nod to the proposal and written to the Ministry of Finance to formally accept the offer at the earliest,” a reliable government source said. The master plan is expected to be completed within 18 months.
A Korean Terms of Reference (ToR) obtained by Republica reveals that qualified Korean experts comprising local planner, architect and urban designer, local economy and financing analyst, road and traffic engineer, local infrastructure engineer, tourism and cultural analyst and environment and disaster engineer, among others, will be coming to Nepal to draw the master plan.
However, the number of Nepali staff for the project has yet to be finalized.
The team will conduct its research for the master plan in three phases. The expert team, in its first phase, will conduct a site survey and analysis and present a basic concept paper followed by master plan, archeological and environmental impact analyses reports. The plan will be implemented after the approval of Nepal government.
“The team will present a concept paper after conducting site survey and analysis on natural environment, historical and cultural heritage, socio-economic environment, spatial structure and infrastructure in three districts -- Rupandehi, Kapilvastu and Nawalparasi,” informed a reliable government source.
Similarly, presenting metaphysical foundation templates for the use in urban design of the Lumbini World Peace City, creating Lumbini as Vishwa Shanti Nagar [global peace city], Buddhist teaching and learning city, world citizens living city, environmentally sustaining city and reflection and meditation city are also the objectives of the master plan project.
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