Dhankuta witnesses decline in number of visitors

By Kabiraj Ghimire,Hille, Mar. 22:There is a cave at Okmalung in Dhankuta Municipality Ward No. 1, Dhankuta and also a small waterfall nearby it.  Dhankutta Municipality, with assistance from the province government, spent around Rs. 10 million to build infrastructure to promote the two spots. 

To reach the cave area, suspension bridge and staircases have been built. Similarly, steps have been constructed and lights installed inside the cave.  

A pond was built nearby the waterfall to swim in and a toilet with other structures were developed.  

The municipality had invested to attract more tourists by developing this area as a major tourist destination of Dhankuta. However, contrary to the plan of the municipality, very few tourists visit at present.   

Birat Rai, a local, said, "Earlier, few people used to come; now nobody comes there." The structures constructed for the convenience of tourists are on the verge of collapse. 

A view tower has also been constructed at Hile Siran of Ward No. 1. The condition there is similar. Tourists who reach Hile do not reach the view tower. 

Various structures have been constructed at the Chuliban Park in the community forest of Dhankuta Municipality-8 at a cost of more than Rs. 15 million.

Similarly, structures and infrastructures have been constructed at a cost of around Rs. 37 million in Madhugangadham of Dhankuta Ward No. 2. Apart from the fair held on the full moon day of Nepali month Mangshir, very few religious tourists visit the place at other times.

These are just a few examples, apart from these, tens of millions of rupees have been spent for the promotion of tourism in Dhankuta Municipality. But, tourists have not visited the sites as per the exception of the municipality.   

Jeevan Rai, a tourist activist, said that although tourism infrastructures have been constructed not many tourists have been attracted due to lack of publicity.   

Chintan Tamang, Mayor of Dhankuta Municipality, admitted that publicity work could not be carried out in those places.  

The situation of other municipalities is similar to that of Dhankuta Municipality. 

Jaldevi wetland has been constructed in Pakhribas Municipality of Dhankuta at a cost of more than Rs. 30 million. But now there is not enough water and tourists as per expectations. 

Moreover, the infrastructure constructed at Suntale Hill of Pakhribas with the support of Kathmandu Metropolitan City at a cost of more than Rs. 10 million has not been used. 

The temple’s staircase and the statue of Yalambar have been constructed. The situation is similar of the view tower built on Ramche Hill.

The steps constructed investing millions of rupees at Chathar Jorpati in Dhankuta to reach Patek Hill, is similar. Patek Hill is the highest place in Dhankuta.  

The Banjhakri Park, constructed at Mahalaxmi of Dhankuta at a cost of more than Rs. 28 million, and other tourism infrastructures of the municipality are almost totally unused. 

According to Bhesraj Khatri, assistant professor of economics at Hile Campus, the structures constructed on the basis of access rather than necessity, the structures built by the people's representatives of the previous term is not accepted by the current people's representatives and lack of adoption by locals are the causes of unused tourism infrastructures.  

“The municipality has invested more in infrastructure than it needs. It has been giving more emphasis to artificial structures rather than to natural methods," Khatri said.