City hall remains unused in absence of operational guidelines

KATHMANDU: A city hall constructed for the Dhangadhi Municipality-8, Kailali, has remained unused for a year.

The project to construct the infrastructure was implemented by the Federal Level Project Implementation Unit, Dhangadhi at a cost of around Rs 280 million.

Though the construction was completed last year, it could not be handed to the local government in the absence of operational procedures and standards, it is said.

The unit said the local government is unable to take its ownership in the absence of operational guidelines.

The building has not been furnished yet and the installation of the sound system is still awaited, said engineer Deejaraj Bhatta, the chief of urban development and technical division within the sub-metropolis.

The hall is spread on 1.5 bighas of land (one biga is roughly equivalent to 17452 square feet) and it includes the main auditorium with a capacity of accommodating 900 people simultaneously, a seminar hall with a capacity of accommodating 200 people, an exhibition hall, a VVIP chamber and two rehearsal rooms.

Additionally, it features an underground basement parking facility for around 400 vehicles.

Project office information officer engineer Saurabh Kalauni said the local government refused to take ownership of the building in the absence of the operational guidelines, delaying the handover.

It is said the Ministry is currently preparing the operational guidelines.

The contract of the project was signed on January 16, 2019, with 30 months deadline to complete it. But the COVID-19 pandemic had hampered the implication and its deadline was extended by one year.