The Ranipokhari saga explains how people’s representatives and local governments are hell-bent on creating anarchism, and not strengthening rule of law.
– Rameshwar Bohara : Centre for Investigative Journalism -Nepal
The landmark Ranipokhari pond, once an enchanting lake in the heart of Kathmandu, is no more the picturesque water body where colorful fishes and its serenity attracted hundreds of people every day.
Unfortunately, this charming lake now lost its tranquility, and turned into a dry pit with silt, bushes and concrete remnants scattered all over. The only pristine pond in Kathmandu where people from the Terai prayed, and offered worship to the Sun during the Chhat festival looks like a desert. The identity about this historic pond, which has been emotionally bonded with Kathmandu since the Malla period has been annihilated.
The misfortune of Ranipokhari began soon after the April 25, 2015 devastating earthquake. The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) initiated ‘reconstruction’ of the Balgopalewsor Temple in Ranipokhari, which was devastated by the massive earthquake. The reconstruction efforts, however, was entangled in controversy. The uproar further escalated after the local representatives were elected in 2017. The KMC is now preparing to handover the renovation of Ranipokhari to Nepal Army. On July 21, a joint meeting of Defense Minister Ishwor Pokhrel, Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Rabindra Adhikari, KMC Mayor Bidhya Sundar Shakya and Director General of Archeology Department Bhesh Narayan Dahal took the initiatives to handover the reconstruction work to Nepal Army. Shakya and Dahal’s egocentric effort to entrust the renovation work of Ranipokhari to the Nepal Army has been the chief reason for the sorry state of this historic pond.
Those who ruined two-and-a-half-crore Rupees along with Ranipokhari
On 28th December 2017, Mayor Bidhya Sundar Shakya informed the public by issuing a press statement about the formation of an 11-member committee headed by former director general of Archeological Department Bishnu Raj Karki to suggest reconstruction of Ranipokhari concurring to its usual Malla-era plan and design. On January 10, soon after the committee submitted its proposal reinforcing reconstruction of Ranipokhari without destroying its historical and archeological value, the KMC cancelled its contract with the ‘Worldwide Kandel K & KG JV’, which had started the reconstruction of Ranipokhari from April 22, 2016. Immediately after this, the KMC decided to entrust the Nepal Army to reconstruct the historic pond.
Ranipokhari before devastating earthquake
To comprehend the complete circumstances about the fate of Ranipokhari, recapitulation of the episode after the inauguration of reconstruction of this pond by President Bidhya Devi Bhandari soon after the 2015 earthquake should be contemplated. Before the inauguration of the reconstruction of Ranipokhari on January 16, 2016, the KMC had decided to give the contract to a private company to develop Ranipokhari into a commercial park. The KMC had on its website on December 10, 2015 posted with a design of musical water fountain said: “Ranipokhari will look like this with a musical fountain.” Weblink: http://kathmandu.gov.np/ne/node/189_
Quoting then chief of the physical planning and building construction Uttar Kumar Regmi, the website content said, “Tender would be called to uplift the face of Ranipokhari consistent with the design worth Rs 10 crores”. Regmi’s plans incorporated a musical water fountain at Ratna Park to attract people in the evening, construct table tennis and basketball courts by blocking the road between Shantibatika and Ratnapark, and decorate the Khulla Manch with colorful tiles, among others. Besides, his plan included handing over the reins of Ranipokhari to private sector after its reconstruction for commercial use.
The documents at the KMC are evidence that the Worldwide Kandel K&KG JV had started the reconstruction work of Ranipokhari after the Archeological Department endorsed KMC’s plan and design on January 6, 2016. The local elections held on May 14, 2017 elected new representatives in the KMC. However, the newly-elected local representatives too gave a green signal to the KMC plan. Mayor Shakya publicly vowed to run a ‘coffee shop’ in Ranipokhari. Meanwhile, on August 26, 2016 the Archeological Department took serious concern over the erection of a concrete pillar to construct the Balgopaleshwor Temple and took the reconstruction responsibility by itself. Following widespread controversy about the pillar, the KMC claimed that it was carried out with the consent of the Archeological Department.
Director of the Department Dahal, however, did not make any objection to KMC’s response. With the controversy escalating further, on December 27, 2017, Dahal wrote a letter to KMC asking the latter to stop the reconstruction work since it had destroyed the archeological value of Ranipokhari.
The Archeological Department had approved the KMC’s new design on January 6, 2016. In its approval letter sent to KMC, it says, “Approval has been given to the KMC to reconstruct Ranipokhari by removing the proposed food stall, amphi-theater, pavilion and pump house, and construction of parapets which should not be seen from outside the wall.”
Interestingly, KMC’s design did not have the concrete wall. Question arises: How did the concrete wall get erected? A KMC official said, “The contractor said that Uttar sir (then department chief Uttar Kumar Regmi) said that the walls be constructed at any cost.” “We are unaware of the reasons behind all this. Nobody seems to be bothered to investigate the issue.”
Questions arise: Why did the Archeological Department remain silent when KMC constructed the concrete wall by going against the design? Why did he (Regmi) want to commercialize Ranipokhari and brought the design accordingly? Why did Archeological Department Director General Dahal endorse the design? Why did Mayor Shakya agree to go ahead with the design? These questions have not been answered so far. More importantly, these questions have concealed miserable state of affairs. This can be better dubbed as an instance of impunity.
The KMC has already allocated Rs. 2 crores 30 lakhs to the ‘Worldwide Kandel K & KG JV’ for constructing Ranipokhari. The amount has been wasted with the cancelation of the agreement with the company and with a new design in place.
KMC has spent an additional Rs. 18 lakhs to remove the concrete wall. With this, around Rs. two-and-a-half crores have been wasted from the state coffer. On the other hand, the contractor company has filed a writ at the Supreme Court seeking a compensation of Rs. 60 lakhs, which, according to them, has been spent to construct the wall. The loss will exceed Rs. 3 crores if the court’s decision comes in favor of the contractor company.
The 17th century Ranipokhari constructed by King Pratap Malla stood as a landmark in the heart of Kathmandu since then. This pond has a deep bonding with the Malla-era archeology, and water distribution system. The several wells inside Ranipokhari served as the water source to Kantipur dwellers (Kathmanduites), including Tindhara and Sundhara then. Question arises: Shouldn’t be those involved in wasting money from the state coffer and destroying the archeological value responsible for all this?
Ranipokhari after devastating earthquake.This historic place turns into bushes.
Chairperson of Transparency International Shree Hari Aryal says those involved in destroying the value of Ranipokhari should not be spared.
Aryal, who is also a senior advocate, says, “Everybody involved in obliterating the cultural, historical value of Ranipokhari in the name of reconstruction should be publicized and punished.”
Ram Bahadur Thapa, chief of physical planning and building construction at KMC, informed that an approximate of Rs. 15 crores was estimated to reconstruct Ranipokhari. Now, the KMC’s decision to handover the reconstruction work to Nepal Army seems to be suspicious.
Committee’s recommendation:
- To prepare the temple’s ‘plan and elevation’, and initiate the construction based on Granthakut-style.
- To study the state of circumstances of the pond, and carry out additional archeological study and investigation to renovate it on the basis of its traditional shape.
- To look into the different traditional sources of water through excavation, and look for water inlet and outlet in the pond.
- To find out the condition of the foundation of the Balgopaleswor Temple, situated in the middle of the pond through excavation. To renovate the bridge connecting the temple with the wall and construct its railings on a traditional manner.
- To make the optimum use of the Malla-era bricks used in Ranipokhari while reconstructing it.
- To make a drawing and design of the entire renovation of the pond. The reconstruction of Ranipokhari has to be under the supervision and observation of concerned experts.
- To reconstruct Ranipokhari without losing its traditional and archaeological values. To remove any structures that are damaging.
- To ensure that the edges of the pond, which have been cut while constructing, are protected.
- To beautify the pond by keeping intact its archeological, traditional and historic value.
- To make sure that the temples constructed at the four corners of Ranipokhari come within the premises of the pond, and resume the traditional, cultural and religious-related activities.
- To remove the structures/buildings on the northern side of Ranipokhari
- To formulate policy to prohibit water-boring or deep tube-well technology in areas at least 1000 meters from Ranipokhari. This is to ensure that the water in the pond does not dry up.
