The federal government has handed over the residences built for the provincial heads and chief ministers of all seven provinces.
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' handed over the luxurious quarters to the provinces amidst a ceremony organized at Bhaisepati in Lalitpur.
A well-equipped residence has been built for the provincial heads and chief ministers at Bhaisepati which they can use when they come to Kathmandu.
A total of 14 blocks have been constructed in seven buildings for the provinces.
Each block has two doors to enter the same building. In front of the block, the number plates of the province heads and the chief ministers are placed.
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal said that the quarters and the liaison offices have been built in a beautiful place. Prime Minister Dahal also said that it will play an additional role in the implementation of federalism.
Prime Minister Prachanda further said that the name which is written on the building has ended the culture of 'liglig race' to select the quarters.
"There used to be a kind of 'liglig race' for the ministerial quarters," Dahal said, "Please put the name of the ministry in the minister's quarter, too, which is going to be completed within a few months."
He said that keeping a name on the building will also make cleaning and management easier.
Urban Development Minister Sita Gurung said these blocks have been built to maintain liaison between the provincial government and the federal government.
She further said that although the provincial head and the chief minister have the same building, the blocks are separate.
A separate 'nameplate' has been placed on each block to avoid confusion.
She said that the Ministry of Urban Development is going to organize a program to create a new and smart city. Urban Development Secretary Rabindra Shrestha said that the contract was awarded in October 2019 and completed within four years. KC Samanantar JV was awarded the contract for the construction of infrastructure, while New Technical has arranged for furniture and furnishing.
The contract was supposed to be completed within two years, but the construction was completed in four years.
The accommodation has a 250 kVA automatic generator and a water treatment plant. Boring has been arranged for drinking water. An automatic water system has been installed after treatment on six levels. There is a water tank with a capacity of 135,000 liters.
An external gate with a fire control system has also been constructed for emergency arrangements. There is a separate water tank of 60,000 liters for fire control. Water fountains, colored fountains at night, and fruit plants have been planted to make them attractive.
Secretary Shrestha said that although the Ministry of Home Affairs has been requested for the security of the liaison office and residence, no arrangements have been made yet.
According to the Ministry of Urban Development, the building has been constructed in an area of 27 ropanis and 12 anas of land with an investment of Rs 850 million.
The 3-storey building has a meeting room, a yoga practice room, a reception room, and a kitchen.
The government had paid rent for the apartment when the state heads and chief ministers came to Kathmandu.
Construction of National Assembly and ministers' quarters in final stage
The construction of a new residence for the ministers of the federal government has reached the final stage at Bhaisepati.
Twenty-seven buildings are under construction for the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Federal Ministers.
To be built in an area of 96 ropanis of land, the ministers' quarter will have a community hall, exercise hall, and swimming pool.
The quarter where ministers are living in Pulchowk will be the residence of the judges of the Supreme Court.
