KATHMANDU: The government is rebuilding the ministers’ official residences at Bhaisipati in Lalitpur, which were damaged by arson during the Gen Z protests, at an estimated cost of Rs 400 million.
Reconstruction of the damaged buildings, along with interior works, is underway with a target of completing the entire project by mid-October.
According to engineer Arun Bhujel, information officer at the Federal Secretariat Construction and Management Office, the reconstruction is being carried out in three phases.
Under contracts awarded last year, the first phase covers the reconstruction of 11 of the 27 buildings, while the remaining 16 buildings are being handled under the second phase. The contract for the first 11 buildings was valued at Rs86 million, while the reconstruction of the remaining 16 was contracted for Rs154.9 million.
In addition, around Rs150 million has been contracted for interior decoration, furnishing and related works.
Bhujel said the first phase is scheduled to be completed by the end of Shrawan, the second by September 5, and the third by the end of October. If all three phases are completed on schedule, ministers will be able to move into the residences after the Dashain-Tihar festival period.
Some ministers in the current government are staying in private residences, while others have made alternative arrangements. Officials say ministers have been pressing for the reconstruction to be completed as soon as possible.
Discussions are also underway on the possibility of handing over completed residences once essential works such as electricity, water supply and interiors are finished, rather than waiting for the entire reconstruction package to be completed.
The government began constructing the Bhaisipati ministerial complex in 2019 after the older ministers’ residences at Pulchowk became inadequate. The complex was built at a cost of around Rs3 billion, with ministers beginning to move into the new residences from June 2025.
However, less than a year after coming into use, all the buildings were damaged by arson during the Gen-Z protests.
