KATHMANDU, July 21: A holding center built during the COVID-19 pandemic to isolate infected patients has remained unused for years, leaving infrastructure worth nearly Rs 294 million to deteriorate.
The 1,000-bed holding center was constructed in 2021 in Nepalgunj Sub-Metropolitan City, Ward 14, after concerns emerged over a shortage of isolation facilities. Built at a cost of Rs 293.8 million, the complex includes 60 buildings with isolation wards, toilets, storage rooms, kitchens and dining halls.
The facilities were constructed on 4 bighas and 13 dhur of government land provided by the Nepalgunj Sub Metropolitan City. Hanuman Construction Company of Lalitpur was awarded the contract, while the Nepal Army supervised the project.
However, the Covid pandemic came under control soon after construction was completed, leaving the holding center without any practical use.
Desperate search for missing girls as nearly 80 dead in Texas f...
Since then, the Nepal Army's Bajradal Battalion in Ranjha has been responsible for maintaining the site. The battalion has deployed 16 personnel for security and maintenance since July 2022.
As the complex has remained idle, its buildings have begun to deteriorate, raising concerns among local residents. They have urged the government to bring the federally owned facility into use instead of allowing it to decay.
The Army has proposed handing the facility over to the Nepalgunj Sub Metropolitan City for operation. Although the local government is willing to take ownership, it has asked the federal government to allocate funds for repairs and maintenance before the transfer. Until a decision is made, the Army continues to guard the site.
Mayor Prashant Bista said the holding center is located far from the main urban area, making commercial use unlikely.
"We have held preliminary discussions with Army officials. They believe the local government should take over the facility. Since similar holding centers were built across the country, the federal government is expected to make a policy decision," he said.
Bista suggested that the complex could be converted into a hospital or rehabilitation center for people with drug addiction.
The site has been targeted by thieves several times, but Army personnel have prevented theft of equipment. Even so, weak construction quality and prolonged neglect have caused the buildings to deteriorate. Officials warn that if the structures remain unused for another two or three years, many may become unusable.
Although the center lacks basic facilities, Army personnel stationed there continue to provide security, with the Nepal Army paying the electricity bills.
Located about five kilometers southeast of Nepalgunj near the Indian border, the holding center was originally expected to be used as a shelter during future disasters after the pandemic ended. That plan, however, has never been implemented.
Colonel Ramchandra Shrestha, commander of the Bajradal Battalion in Ranjha, said the facility has remained unused since the pandemic subsided.
"The buildings were constructed to isolate Covid patients. After the pandemic ended, they were left unused," he said. "As the government has not decided what to do with the facility, we have continued providing security."
