The reconstruction of Rato Machchhindranath Temple based in Lalitpur metropolis-22, Bungmati has yet to be reconstructed when five years have almost elapsed since the ‘2015 Gorkha Earthquake’ devastated lives and properties in manifold. The Government of Sri Lanka which took the responsibility for temple reconstruction three years back has pulled out its hand from reconstruction since last December following misunderstanding with three contractors, Thegis, Pera and Tulasi Construction JV. Uncertainty is looming large which agency to take up the responsibility for temple reconstruction after walkway of Sri Lankan government. Lalitpur metropolis mayor Chiribabu Maharajan said the desired quality could not be maintained while contracting out for temple reconstruction in line with the Public Procurement Act-2063 BS. “We have already decided to rebuild the temple by forming users’ committee. The National Reconstruction Authority is also ready for providing necessary amount for temple reconstruction”. With this the process of contract out for temple rebuild would not be put forward, mayor Maharjan clarified. He further said no letter has been so far sent out from the Department of Archaeology and National Reconstruction Authority for forming users’ committee in regard to the temple reconstruction. “We would form an users’ committee and take ahead the reconstruction process immediately after a letter was sent to the metropolis from the Department for forming users’ committee”, the Lalitpur mayor added. NRA chief engineer Sampat Ghimire said the NRA however had sent a letter to the metropolis for forming an users’ committee two months’ ago. “The Sri Lankan government was ready to finance Rs 55 million for temple reconstruction. 40 percent of the temple reconstruction work was already under the Sri Lankan government’s responsibility. We would expedite the process for completing remaining works when the metropolis came up with interest to this effect”, he said. The task would gain rapid momentum if the committee was formed for temple reconstruction, he said, adding the Department still has billions of rupees for such works.
