Govt forgets to add Basantapur Square in top 100 tourist destinations of Nepal

  • September 4, 2019

Photo credit: Bibash Basnet

Promoting Nepal’s tourism, the government identified a hundred tourism promoting destinations in the country, including seven in Kathmandu valley alone, however somehow missed out Basantapur Durbar Square.The list was issued to promote Visit Nepal 2020.

Basantapur Durbar square is one of three durbar squares situated in Kathmandu Valley and enlisted in UNESCO’s Cultural Heritage Sites, however.

The government said that the list was made on the basis of the information provided by the concerned bodies and received applications following the public announcement.

The list which was prepared with the basis of public demands and information available at the moment was finalized by ministerial level decision, said Ghanashyam Upadhaya, Spokesperson and Joint-Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Aviation.

After the release of the list, the government came to realize that they missed to incorporate Basantapur in the list, though Upadhaya said, ‘not doubt’ to incorporate the place in the list.

Now the only way to amend the list is through ministerial level decision.

According to Ishwor Man Dangol, spokesperson of KMC, the Kathmandu Municipality Office (KMC) would pledge tourism minister to alter the list in order to list in Basantapur Durbar square.

He added that Basantapur Durbar square was a heart of Kathmandu full of cultural arts and values; one could never understand the originality of the district without visiting the place.

The government during the budget speech of fiscal year 075/76 had specified 100 tourism destinations with the facility of transportation, logistics to name the few.