Conference hall construction completes in Lumbini

By Laxman Poudel Bhairahawa, May 11: Construction of a meeting hall and meditation centre for 5,000 people has been completed in Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautam Buddha.

According to the Lumbini Development Trust, the completed meditation centre will be inaugurated on May 16, on the occasion of Buddha Jayanti.

The meeting hall with state-of-the-art facilities has been constructed under the Lumbini Development Master Plan of National Pride. 

The hall, which was planned to be completed in three years, was delayed by one year due to COVID-19 pandemic.

The main infrastructure work was completed in the first phase. In the second phase, finishing and beautification work has been completed. 

“Almost 99 per cent of the work of the second phase has been completed,” said Basant Kshatriya, a site engineer at construction company Lumbini, Arghakhanchi Babul JV. 

“We will complete all the remaining work soon,” he said.

The hall is scheduled to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba on May 16. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also scheduled to address the programme on the same day.

The meditation centre has been constructed into 140 pile foundations with a depth of 10 meters. The roof has been made by erecting 40 pillars on the foundation. 

The meeting hall, which covers an area of ​​8,300 square meters, is lined with Chinese brick walls.

There are three main sensor doors to enter the hall and another 52 hand doors. The hand doors are four-metre high and two-and-a-half metre wide.

The umbrella-style hall, which can accommodate 5,000 people, is equipped with technology for cooling in summer and heating in cold. Panels that can withstand temperatures ranging from 6 to 8 degrees are used. There is a soundproof roof. Mosaic is laid on the floor of the hall by making a block of four square meters.

Altogether 476 lights have been installed on the ceiling for lighting inside. A WiFi zone has been created. 

“The well-equipped hall is the first of its kind in the country,” said Saroj Bhattarai, chief planning officer of the Lumbini Development Trust.

The then Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli had announced to build the 5,000-capacity meditation centre in Lumbini after strong winds and rain destroyed the venue on the day of Buddha Jayanti celebration in 2017. 

The foundation stone of the assembly hall was laid by President Bidya Devi Bhandari on the day of Buddha Purnima on April 30, 2018.