Reconstruction work underway at Palpa Palace

By Our Correspondent,Tansen, June 16: The premises of the historic Palpa Palace is being reconstructed in its original form.

The construction of the old wall, main gate and other gates is being carried out to develop the palace as a tourist destination. 

Stone slabs are being laid on the pavement, and a wall and main gate are being constructed. 

The Department of Archaeology, Tansen Municipality and Lumbini Province government are jointly carrying out the reconstruction works.  

The main gate was built by Badri Narsingh Kunwar, brother of the then Prime Minister Jung Bahadur Rana from 1854  to 1873

The main gate, wall and courtyard which were constructed at that time are also being reconstructed. 

Tansen Municipality has said that the historic structures which were built at that time as per the security policy have been rebuilt in their original nature and shape. 

The stone-made boundary wall is being constructed around the Palace. In 1854, one and a half meters wide stone wall was constructed keeping in mind the security situation of the time. 

Santosh Lal Shrestha, Mayor of Tansen Municipality, said that the Department of Archeology and the Lumbini Province government are carrying out the reconstruction works by making minor changes in the shape of the compound wall.  

Ram Prasad Shrestha, an engineer of Tansen Municipality, said that the work of laying stone and constructing the wall would be completed by mid-July of the current fiscal year.  

Shrestha said that the construction of the wall was delayed by a month, but there is a plan to complete the work in time. 

Tansen Municipality has provided Rs. 4.1 million and the Lumbini Province government Rs. 5 million to lay the stone slabs outside and inside the compound wall. 

The main gate of the Palpa Palace is considered to be the oldest big gate in Nepal. 

The historic main gate built during the Rana period was reached in dilapidated condition. The reconstruction work is going on in full swing after demolishing 57 houses in May/April, 2023 to develop the historic palace area as a tourist destination.