KATHMANDU, Sept 15: Experts have emphasized the need of preventing further fragmentation for preserving Tundikhel, an open ground situated at the heart of Kathmandu occupying about 30 hectares.
Speaking during a symposium entitled "Transformation of Public Spaces: A case of Tundikhel," Urmi Sengupta, an architect and engineer from Queen's University, emphasized the dire need to preserve public spaces through adequate policy instruments.
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"The role Tudikhel played in the post-disaster context after the recent earthquake to hit Nepal should be enough prod authorities to develop future policy in this area," said Sengupta. Following the earthquake, thousands of people congregated at Tundikhel, although government figures reveal that only around 1,000 took shelter.
"If we look back at the earthquake of 1934, Tundikhel had provided shelter for hundreds more. But, only one-sixth of Tundikhel is openly accessible to public," said Sengupta. Prof. Bharat Sharma, a leading expert in the same field, opined that whole Tundikhel must be opened for public.
"It is shameful to blame hawkers and street vendors for encroaching public spaces at a time when no one is concerned about how Tundikhel has been fragmented over the years," said Sharma.
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