Butwal, Nov 13: A multipurpose view tower in Tilottama, Rupandehi, inaugurated by then Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli nearly five years ago, remains closed to the public despite the completion of its construction.
The 11-storey tower, built at a cost of around Rs 110 million, has remained unused for years. Although a company has recently won the tender to operate it, a formal agreement is yet to be signed.
Located inside the Shankarnagar Forest Recreation and Research Centre, popularly known as Ban Batika, the tower was expected to become a major tourist attraction. The park already draws visitors for its gardens, small zoo and picnic spots, particularly during winter. However, visitors can only view the tower from outside.
Ranjita Thapa, 28, from Murgiya, Sainamaina, said she was surprised that the tower remained closed years after its inauguration. “I had heard it was inaugurated years ago, but visitors still cannot climb it. I would like to visit it with my children,” she said.
Oli inaugurated the tower on March 29, 2022 (Chaitra 15, 2078), even though some construction work remained incomplete. He also climbed the tower to view the surrounding area.
The Tilottama Municipality repeatedly invited tenders to operate the facility, but failed to attract private investors. In the latest bidding, The Nest Hotel of Butwal secured the contract.
Hotel operator Madhav Dhakal said the company had offered to pay the municipality around Rs 4.4 million annually, including VAT. However, the agreement remains pending as the municipality must complete repair and infrastructure work.
Some glass panels were damaged during the Gen Z protests, while the access road to the tower remains unfinished. The municipality has awarded contracts for the remaining work.
Construction began in 2018 following an agreement in 2017. The municipality invested 70 percent of the cost, while Ban Batika contributed 30 percent.
The project was originally planned in two phases. The second phase included gardens, fountains, parking facilities and boundary walls. However, inadequate funding from the federal government’s tourism infrastructure programme delayed the work by three years. The municipality eventually completed it using its own budget last year.
An earlier operating agreement with Anupama Engineering Construction, signed in February 2022, required the company to pay Rs 3.975 million annually. Delays prompted the company to seek an extension of its operating period until 2092 BS.
Subsequently, the municipality invited fresh bids. Initial tenders set an annual minimum price of Rs 4.55 million for 15 years, later reduced to Rs 3.95 million. Neither attracted bidders. Business operators had sought longer contracts, arguing that 15 years would not provide sufficient time to recover their investment.
Ban Batika Chairperson Bhimlal Pandey said the latest tender had raised hopes that the long-delayed tower would finally open. He said the delay had also affected the park’s tourism development.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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