Bagmati Province Prepares to Hand Over Reconstructed Government Buildings Damaged During Gen-Z Protests

Makwanpur. Minister for Physical Infrastructure Development, Dr. Dinesh Chandra Devkota, has announced that the government is preparing to hand over reconstructed government offices that were damaged by protesters during the Gen-Z movement in Bagmati Province.

Addressing the Provincial Assembly meeting on Sunday, Minister Dr. Devkota stated that most of the damaged ministries and government residences have been restored to their original condition and are in the final stages of being handed over.

According to Minister Devkota, buildings housing the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development, the Ministry of Water Supply and Irrigation, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, and the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Transport in Hetauda suffered significant damage during the protests. He noted that these buildings have been successfully restored.

'We have completed the reconstruction of the buildings housing five ministries damaged by the Gen-Z movement. We will hand over these buildings in a few days. Employees will return to their original offices to resume operations,' he said. 'The reconstruction was carried out in a short period based on expert advice and engineering standards. The ministry mobilized engineering experts to conduct technical studies, including assessing the temperature at which the steel bars melted and ensuring the structural integrity of the buildings,' he added.

He also mentioned that repair work on the residence of the Province's Chief Secretary, the Bagmati Provincial Assembly Secretariat, and the Ministry of Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation is in the final stages.

Minister Dr. Devkota stated that the repairs were funded through a special budget of 64.3 million rupees provided by the Ministry of Finance. Based on expert reports, an estimated budget of 832 million rupees has been projected for the reconstruction of the remaining structures in the future.

According to Minister Dr. Devkota, the total damage during the protests amounted to 1.353492 billion rupees, which includes 581.5 million rupees for buildings, 247.8 million rupees for vehicles (143 motorcycles and 56 four-wheelers), and 273.5 million rupees for miscellaneous goods.

No project budgets have been cut

Minister Dr. Devkota clarified that no project budgets in the province have been cut. He explained that the changes seen in the ministry's allocated budget programs were merely technical revisions.

According to Minister Dr. Devkota, 24.8019 billion rupees were initially allocated for the ministry. However, after correcting for duplicate entries and programs belonging to other ministries, the current budget stands at 22.37 billion rupees.

He stated that 1 billion rupees have been received from the Ministry of Finance out of the 4 billion rupees required to pay the liabilities of construction contractors. He added that work has resumed on 34 out of 43 stalled projects in the province, and a task force is working to find solutions for the remaining 9.

He also noted that a 'Disaster Quick Response Team' has been formed in all 13 districts to clear road obstructions during the monsoon season. To end the reliance on rented machinery for clearing roads, the ministry has already issued a tender to purchase its own bulldozers and excavators.

He stated that road construction projects are being advanced to be climate-resilient and linked to a green economy. He emphasized that roads should not only transport instant noodles and alcohol but also serve as a means to bring local products to market. He added that special programs targeting regions lagging in human development indices, such as Ruby Valley, Panchpokhari, and Ghyanglekh, are in the implementation phase.