SINDHUPALCHOWK, Feb 24: A considerable number of public offices have been rebuilt in Chautara of Sindhupalchowk after four years of the devastating earthquake of 2015.  According to the reconstruction authority, a total of 13 office buildings have been reconstructed while eight new ones have been built. A few hospital buildings and the district postal service building are yet to be built. 

"The construction process of 21 office buildings has come to an end. The construction of some other buildings is near completion," said chief engineer of the district unit of the reconstruction authority, Santosh Niraula. "The old buildings had collapsed during the earthquake and the public offices had been operating with great difficulty," he added. 

According to Niraula, the reconstruction authority has already handed over the newly-constructed army barracks to the army. Due to several reasons, the reconstruction had not taken a pace for some time. "But now things are on track and the results are good," he said. 

Niraula informed Republica that the infrastructures under the reconstruction authority have been built for around Rs 550 million. The estimated cost of the building of the district post office, that is yet to be completed, is Rs 30 million. 

"It took time to dismantle the earlier building of the post office, which was badly damaged by the earthquake. Some other buildings were also hard to remove," Niraula said. 

The buildings of the district administration office, forest division office, police beats, army offices, and school and hospital buildings, among others had been badly damaged by the earthquake of 7.8 magnitude and powerful aftershocks. All the private houses in Sindhupalchowk were either fully or partly hit. 

Schools remained closed and public offices shut for months after the earthquake. Later the authorities started to provide service through makeshift huts. The slow reconstruction process even irked the public. "The reconstruction was not speedy, but things are almost back on track now," said engineer Niraula. 

 
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