The reconstruction of Dharahara, which was completely destroyed in the 2015 earthquake, remains unfinished. The government awarded the reconstruction contract on 13 Sept 2018, but more than seven years later the project is still incomplete. According to the Department of Urban Development and Building Construction (DUDBC), physical progress has reached about 90 percent. The museum being built on the former Tax Department site, however, has been completed.
Despite this slow progress, the then Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli inaugurated the partially built Dharahara amid much fanfare in April 2018, when only 42 percent of the work had been completed. At that time, the government promoted the narrative that the tower had been rebuilt in just three years. Yet more than four years after that inauguration, construction is still not finished.
The reconstruction contract is held by GIETC-Raman JV, with the Chinese company GIETC supervising and Nepali contractor Raman Construction executing the work. The contractor has indicated it will miss even the eighth deadline, and has already applied for a ninth extension.
Jhapar Singh Bishwakarma, acting project director at the DUDBC’s Central Project Implementation Unit, said the tower is now in its final stage of construction. He added that the government is preparing to extend the deadline one last time, with a target completion date in April.
The original contract required completion by 30 Sept 2020. The deadline was later extended for the fifth time to October 2023. If approved, the upcoming ninth extension will push the deadline to April 2025. Although each extension has been granted in six-month increments, it remains uncertain whether even this revised target will be met.
According to DUDBC data, the government’s initial cost estimate for the Dharahara reconstruction exceeded Rs 4.4bn. The revised estimate, including VAT, rose to more than Rs 4.71bn. The initial contract amount was set at over Rs 3.48bn, later revised to above Rs 3.53bn, of which around Rs 3.10bn has already been paid.
Although Dharahara is the centerpiece, the project encompasses multiple structures. The site today feels visually appealing but busy with construction. A new temple stands at the entrance, surrounded by a landscaped garden. A three-level parking facility has been built, with capacity for 2,000 two-wheelers and 300 four-wheelers; one level currently operates as a free parking zone.
Inside the gate, the new Dharahara rises clean and bright, while the remnants of the old collapsed tower sit nearby. The area, however, still feels somewhat disorganized, with several structures unfinished. The government has also built a Mint Museum on the grounds of the former Mint Department, though its finishing work is pending. Lighting, illumination, and decorative works across the site are also incomplete, leaving visitors confused about access and layout.
Bishwakarma of DUDBC said several shortcomings emerged during the contract awarding process, contributing to delays. Additional time was required as the project expanded to include the reconstruction and conservation of Sundhara, an adjoining heritage site. Heritage engineers have repeatedly protested, arguing that restoring Sundhara Pond to its original form is not technically feasible. Local opposition has also stalled progress. “Not much construction work is left,” Bishwakarma said. “Electrical installations, lighting, and some finishing tasks remain, and these should not take long.”
Another factor contributing to delays was land acquisition. The old Dharahara occupied a relatively small footprint, but the new design covers a larger area. Land had to be taken from the Employees Provident Fund, the General Post Office, and Nepal Telecom. Completing the necessary transfers took considerable time. The COVID-19 pandemic further disrupted progress. Nevertheless, the project team now aims to finish all remaining work by April and hand over the completed site to the government.
