Heritage sites to be opened to visitors from August 17

Kathmandu, June 3: The government is likely to open the historical buildings and monuments enlisted in the World Heritage Site list to the general public from August 17.

The Hanumandhoka Durbar Square, Patan Durbar Square, Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Swayambhunath, Bouddhanath, Pashupatinath, and Changunarayan area that are a major attraction to the internal and external tourists are closed after they were damaged by the April 25 earthquake and aftershocks.

The number of tourists arriving in the country has suddenly decreased after some foreign media reported that the World Heritage Sites are completely damaged by the Gorkha quake and aftershocks. The bodies concerned visited the sites to check their condition have claimed that they are not completely damaged.

The heritage sites are affected by the quake and aftershocks but they are not completely ravaged, said Director General of the Department of Archeology, Bhesh Narayan Dahal.

Various government and non-government teams, in coordination with the locals, have been working to remove the rubble of the structures. They will be re-opened for visit in a couple of months, Dahal added.