KATHMANDU, June 12: The Department of Archeology (DoA) has sent a circular to the District Administration Office, Kavrepalanchowk to stop destruction of archeological goods and structures while widening the Suryabinayak-Dhulikhel road.
The DoA urged the Kavrepalanchowk DAO to stop bulldozing antique brick walls, sources of water, antique wooden structures and stones that were found at Banepa Bhaisepati area along the Araniko Highway in course of the road excavation.
Archeology Officer at DoA Bhishma Banskota informed that the circular was sent to the concerned authority on Sunday to immediately stop the act. There are concerns that archaeologically valuable goods were ruined during the road widening drive.
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Banskota further shared that the DoA also urged the authorities concerned to preserve antique brick walls, water sources, ancient wooden and stone structures.
The DoA has separately written a letter to Banepa municipality, which is located along the Araniko Highway, to not allow actions that destroy archaeologically-important structures in course of the road expansion.
It may be noted that the expansion of road from Suryabinayak of Bhaktapur to Dhulikhel of Kavrepalanchowk along the Araniko Highway started last March. Two separate contracts were awarded to the construction companies to complete the widening of Suryabinayak-Sanga and Sanga-Dhulikhel road sections within three years.
According to the Suryabinayak-Dhulikhel, Dhulikhel-Sindhuli-Bardibas road project office, a contract of Rs 4 billion 56.4 million for the expansion of Sanga-Dhulikhel road. Likewise, another contract amounting to Rs 3 billion 889.3 million was awarded for the widening of 7.5-km road from Suryabinayak to Sanga.
(RSS)
