The Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) has carried out damage assessment for major government buildings in the first phase, which started Tuesday.
An assessment team from the Department of Urban Development and Building Construction (DUDBC), which is under MoUD, said that the Supreme Court building has been severely damaged at many points by earthquake and the structure is dangerous and unsafe for public use."The court building has developed several cracks following the earthquake and aftershocks, and as there is much coming and going of people in the court premises, we fear high risk of another accident," said Ramesh Singh, deputy director of DUDBC, adding,"that's why we have designated it unsafe for public use."
The ministry has mobilized as many as seven teams of technicians to assess the damage caused to government structures by earthquake.
Likewise, Padam Kumar Mainali, spokesperson of MoUD, informed that the official residences of the president and the prime minister have developed minor cracks. He said the buildings can be used for living purposes for the time being as there are not many people coming and going, but the damage has to be repaired immediately.
"The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has also been damaged by the earthquake. Two rooms-- room nos. 100 and 101-- have been severely damaged and have been prohibited for further use pending reinforcement," he said. Currently, the offices from the damaged portion of the PMO building have been relocated.
In the last four days, the ministry has assessed around 150 government buildings for quake damage, including various ministries inside Singha Durbar.
"Let me make it clear that the assessments currently underway are just visual assessments. A detailed assessment of major government premises will be carried out later to determine whether these need to be retrofitted or dismantled altogether," said Mainali.
Similarly, DUDBC in collaboration with Nepal Engineers' Association has started earthquake damage assessment for high-rise apartments. Of the nine high-rise apartment buildings inspected so far, New Horizon at Basundhara has been labeled unsafe and dangerous for public use.
From Sunday, DUDBC is also to carry out damage assessment for private buildings in Kathmandu Valley. "Over 1,000 people have already requested us to assess the quake damange to their houses and we are moblizing over 600 engineers for the purpose," he said, adding that those with damaged premises are requested to inform the local authorites.
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