KATHMANDU: The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has made notable strides in conservation and reconstruction of cultural heritages damaged by earthquake in 2015 and 2023.

The Ministry had set a target to carry out reconstruction of 25 such cultural heritages within the current fiscal year 2024/25. By the middle of the fiscal year (mid-January), 27 such heritages have been successfully rebuilt and preserved, surpassing its target.

Progress relating to reconstruction of cultural heritages was, however, slower in the last fiscal year with 13 out of 24 planned stupas were completed across Dhading, Rasuwa, Sindhupalchowk and Dolakha districts.

This year, the Ministry attained an impressive progress in cultural heritages preservation efforts. Joint-Secretary Ramkrishna Lamichhane informed that 20 heritage conservation works were scheduled for fiscal year 2023/24, a total of 40 have been completed so far.

Joint-Secretary Lamichhane further said that the Ministry has developed a concept paper for building eco-hill stations and establishing tourism spots in hilltops and thus has taken forward location selection process.

The Ministry has monitored three airlines companies to ensure compliance of safety standards. Similarly, out of 50,000 pages that were to be collected, cataloged and preserved using chemicals, 10,000 pages have been collected and cataloged and preserved.

In a continuation of conservation work of heritage sites at Simraunagadh area in Bara district, the Ministry said that a notice of bidding has been published and evaluated and mandate has been given.

Also, the expansion of road network till eastern side of Bihar area in Bihar State of India under the Lumbini Master Plan recorded 68 per cent progress in the current fiscal year while electrification, road construction works at the cultural centre under the Lumbini Masterplan have been completed by 84 per cent till date, the Ministry added.