World Heritage listed area to be cultural hub

KATHMANDU, Oct 26: The government is going to develop the area listed in the World Heritage List as a cultural center. The idea of developing the Basantapur Durbar area listed in the World Heritage List and Swayambhunath Chaitya, the house that houses the living goddess Kumari, Lakheghar, the holy land Sitapaila, Taleju Temple and the area where various Jatra festivals including Indra Jatra are practiced, has been moved forward.

Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Jeevan Ram Shrestha informed that the local residents will get the direct benefits. He said that an environment will be created where the people of the heritage area will benefit directly from tourism. According to the plan to involve local residents in skill-oriented and income-generating programs, Minister Shrestha informed that local guidance training and homestay training has been carried out as a campaign in his area.

Mentioning that the government has advanced the concept of tourism decade for the sustainable development of the tourism sector, he said that tourism is a sustainable source of economic development in Nepal and to revive the tourism that has declined after the covid-19, he has advanced the concept of 'tourism decade 2023-2033'.

At the greeting exchange program organized by the Bahiti Sangamtol Improvement Committee at the cantonment of Kathmandu today, Minister Shrestha stated that he has fulfilled most of his commitments towards infrastructure development in constituency no.8

He said that he has fulfilled most of the election promises in the constituency regarding road construction, water supply project, reconstruction, protection and development of cultural heritage, Chamati land consolidation project, construction of amusement park, road bridge, Jholunge bridge and Akashe bridge.

Minister Shrestha, who is also a candidate of the Left Democratic Alliance in the upcoming election from Kathmandu's Constituency No. 8, said that he has a plan to develop Basantapur-Swayambhu-White Monastery as a model tourist area.