The previous 10-Year Master Plan managed to complete only about 35 percent of its target despite spending the total Rs 2.03 billion allocated for the project."We will issue a notice for pre-qualifying proposal of the master plan in two weeks," said Dr Gobind Tandan, member secretary of the PADT. "The sequel of the master plan will be of some Rs 15 to Rs 20 billion," he added.
The government had earlier approved the 10-year plan aimed at conserving the Pashupatinath area, promoting religious and cultural environment as well as upgrading the infrastructures.
According to the PADT, it has 264 hectares of land at the Pashupatinath Temple area and 536 ropanis of land at Gothatar of Kathmandu. "We will develop the Pashupatinath temple area as principal zone and Gothatar area as annex zone in the next Master Plan," said Tandan. "The final framework of the master plan will be completed within two years. Then it will be executed."
The PADT also plans to carry out renovation of temples, statues and construction of religious guest houses, entrance gates and a tunnel from Tilganga to Guheshwori and Gothatar. The PADT has recently brought the electric crematorium in operation, which was included in the previous master plan.
According to PADT officials, the Pashupatinath Temple, believed to be more than 2500 years old, was last renovated during the region of King Girvan Yuddha Bikram Shah more than 200 years ago. The temple, which is enlisted in the UMESCO World Heritage Site, is in need of immediate renovation following last April's devastating earthquake.
The PADT had planned to renovate the temple six years ago but could not carry out the work due to lack of funds and disagreement with the caretakers. The woodcrafts, doors and pillars of the temple are damaged.
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