Pokhara, Nov 7: The Nepal Trust has proposed leasing out government-owned land and properties at five locations in Pokhara for 30 years to build hotels, shopping complexes and other commercial facilities, including a playground beside Phewa Lake.
The proposal has drawn opposition from tourism entrepreneurs, civil society representatives and local elected officials, who want the lakeside land preserved as open space and the historic Ratna Mandir and Himagriha developed as tourist attractions.
Under the plan, the Barahighat playground, a plot inside the Ratna Mandir complex and the Ratnachowk playground could be used for hotels, restaurants, commercial complexes, offices and retail businesses. Two larger properties, including another section of the Ratna Mandir complex and Himagriha, have been earmarked for heritage conservation and tourism.
The Trust is chaired by a minister appointed by the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers. Prime Minister Balen Shah has appointed Physical Infrastructure Minister Sunil Lamsal as its chairperson. Suyog Upadhyaya Regmi, Dhruva Chalise and Manarupa Paudel are board members.
Trust employees said the commercial proposal had been taken forward after discussions at the board level.
The most contentious proposal concerns the Barahighat playground beside Phewa Lake in Ward 6. The two plots, numbered 1762 and 1763, cover 48 ropani, 7 ana and 2 paisa. However, the plan uses 15 ropani, 2 ana, 3 paisa and 4 daam as the lease calculation area under the standards governing Phewa Lake.
The Trust has proposed hotels, restaurants, commercial complexes, offices and retail outlets on the site, classifying it as a high-value property.
Another 2 ropani, 3 ana and 1 paisa plot inside the Ratna Mandir complex, registered under plot number 1270, has been proposed for a shopping complex, hotel, offices, entertainment centre and restaurants. Its proximity to Phewa Lake and Ratna Mandir is described as a strategic advantage.
The Ratnachowk playground in Ward 7, covering 1 ropani, 13 ana and 1 paisa, has also been proposed for commercial development.
Meanwhile, plots numbered 1128, 1129, 1130 and 1131 within the Ratna Mandir complex, covering a combined 111 ropani, 11 ana, 2 paisa and 1 daam, have been designated for heritage conservation and tourism. The same approach has been proposed for the 10 ropani, 4 ana, 1 paisa and 1 daam Himagriha property in Ward 6.
The plan does not specify the leasing procedure, rental rates, investor selection process or detailed heritage protection standards.
These properties once belonged to former King Birendra and his family before coming under the ownership of the Nepal Trust following the end of the monarchy.
Ratna Mandir was commissioned by King Mahendra in the name of his wife, Queen Ratna Rajya Laxmi Shah. Construction began in 1956 and was completed in 1958. The palace served as a residence for the royal family during visits to Pokhara and a venue for receiving royal guests.
Himagriha was built in 1979 by Himalaya Bir Bikram Shah, the younger brother of King Mahendra.
At Thursday’s meeting, local representatives opposed the commercial development proposal. They called for preserving the Phewa lakeside property as open space and opening Ratna Mandir and Himagriha to the public as tourist attractions.
Pokhara Tourism Council President Hari Bhujel, civil society leader Ram Bahadur Poudel, Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Gandaki Senior Vice President Surya Bhujel and Pokhara Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Shobha Gautam were among those attending.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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