22 Sep, 2020
Kathmandu, Sept. 22: Five years after the 2015 earthquake severely damaged it, the historic Ranipokhari has finally regained its original look after it was filled with water.
After all the water was drained for its reconstruction, the pond remained grassy because of the delay in starting the reconstruction work.
But now water has been filled in the iconic pond glorifying the centre of Kathmandu.
Taking nearly a week, Ranipokhari has been refilled with around 27 million litres of water brought from the Bagmati River through the pipelines of the Melamchi Drinking Water Project, said Raju Man Manandhar, an expert with the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA).
The refilling was done with the support of the Project Implementation Directorate of the Ministry of Water Supply.
For the refilling, the Directorate used the reservoir tank at the Panipokhari to collect the water. It then used the primary distribution pipe laid for the Melamchi project to send water to the pond through Sundarijal and Chabahil to Mahankal Ring Road. In addition, almost a million litres of water had already been collected at the pond from the monsoon rainfall.
An initial plan was to inaugurate the reconstructed Ranipokhari by the Head of the State on September 19. However, this deadline was missed because still some minor works were left to complete on the Balgopaleshwor Temple standing at the middle of the pond, Manandhar said.
“The pinnacles need to be placed on the Balgopaleshwor Temple. The temple needs five small pinnacles and a big six feet one,” Manandhar said.
The NRA began restoring the historic pond one and a half years ago. With the support from the Ranipokhari Consumers Committee, the originality of the pond was maintained and the Balgopaleshwor Temple has also been rebuilt in its original Granthakhut style.
The pond has been restored at a cost of Rs. 95.4 million while Rs. 150 million was allotted for the temple’s reconstruction and beautification. Rising Nepal
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