KATHMANDU, Feb 23: The cost of Dharahara reconstruction is set to increase by Rs 120 million after some infrastructure structures have to be added to the Dharahara complex, which is currently under construction.
At the time of the initial contract, the cost of the Dharahara complex was 3.08 billion rupees. However, the design of the tower has been changed and a variation of 120 million rupees is going to be made. Now, the cost of construction of Dharahara will reach 3.2 billion rupees.
Sanjay Nakarmi, project manager of Dharahara's construction company GIITC-Raman JV, said that the cost of the project will reach 3.2 billion rupees due to the addition/increase in the design of the structure of the Dharahara complex." The cost has increased due to the addition of cup building, administrative building, mechanical electrical plumbing work in the Dharahara complex," he said.
Project director of the Central Project Implementation Unit (Building and Housing) Koshnath Adhikari said that although the cost of the under-construction Dharahara will increase somewhat, he did not know the exact amount.
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"As some structures have been added to the Dharahara complex, it seems that there will be some cost increase, but I can't say the exact amount," he said. Currently, Dharahara's overall physical progress is 81 percent and financial progress is 71 percent.
Deadline that expired in mid-January remains unextended
The contract for the construction of Dharahara was signed on September 30, 2018. According to the contract, the construction of the tower should have been completed within two years. However, the construction time period of Dharahara has been extended four times so far. Although the deadline of the contractor company to build the tower expired in mid-January, the process of extending the deadline has not yet started.
Nakarmi, project manager of GIATC-Raman JV, said that the project has been extended for one year. "We have requested an extension for one year to complete the construction of the entire structure of Dharahara," he said.
Project Manager Nakarmi said that the construction of gardens, false ceilings, pyramids and other structures in the Dharahara complex is pending. “There is still a lot of work to be done. If the deadline is extended by at least one year, then the entire structure can be completed. Currently, the flooring of the basement of the building and the basement of the maintenance room are being worked on.”
Similarly, Project Director Niraula said that the builders have applied for a deadline extension. “The contractor has applied for an extension. After studying the matter, we will recommend to the Department of Buildings and Urban Development for an extension of the deadline,'' He said that the deadline can be extended at least until mid-July.
Some time ago, the construction of the tower was also affected due to obstruction by the local residents. During the construction, there was a problem when the construction company cut the water supply to the tower. Former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli hastily inaugurated the Dharahara on April 24, 2021 without preparing the necessary infrastructure around the Dharahara.
Nakarmi, the project manager of the construction company, said that due to the problems seen in the Dharahara complex under construction, the construction of attractive gardens, museums, colorful water fountains, exhibitions, souvenir shops and other structures in the Dharahara complex has not been completed yet. Although the tower under construction looks like 11-story from the outside, the inside of the tower is being built with 22 floors. With the collapse of the tower in the earthquake of 2015, the government has been rebuilding it with modern construction materials.
