Dharahara reopens to public after nine years

Kathmandu, September 19 — Dharahara has reopened for the public after nine years. It was opened on Thursday, coinciding with Constitution Day, next to the Bhimsen Stambha, which collapsed during the devastating earthquake on April 25, 2015.

The construction of Dharahara, however, is not fully complete. The Ministry of Urban Development has stated that only 98% of the structure has been built so far.

Dharahara was opened for special guests starting at 5 PM on Wednesday for testing purposes. The construction began during the tenure of then-Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.

On April 24, 2021, Oli inaugurated it, but it has not been fully operational since then. At the time of inauguration, while the main structure was incomplete, only 42% of other construction work had been finished.

Until the government arranges for further management, the public will be allowed to visit Dharahara for free for some time. Although some painting and decorative work remains, it is not expected to cause significant issues.