Minister Ale inspects Narayanhiti construction

Minister for Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation Prem Bahadur Ale has said that those who give the property of the museum and do whatever they want will be punished. Minister Ale inspected the physical structure constructed by Batas Group at the Narayanhiti Durbar Museum today and said that legal action would be taken against those found to be wrong in giving permission to do business including restaurants inside the museum.

He said, "There have been many shortcomings in the permission given to do business including restaurants. Mistakes have been made and the building has been constructed on its own. Those who are allowed to work illegally and those who work will be punished." He also informed that legal action would be taken against the person or organization responsible for the shortcomings in the Durbar Museum. "Is it possible to construct a building in the name of a coffee shop to erase the name and purpose of the museum?", He added.

The group was constructing new structures on an estimated 14 ropanis of land inside the Narayanhiti Durbar Museum after the decision was taken to allow the wind group to run a restaurant and other businesses. The investigation committee formed into the decision to allow Batas Group to do business including restaurant inside the Durbar Museum has no clear demarcation of the area and space to be used for operating the canteen-cafeteria. Correspondence has also been sent to the Commission for Investigation of Abuse and Police Headquarters.

Minister Ale had instructed the Narayanhiti Durbar Museum and Republic Monument Management and Operator Development Committee on January 4 to stop the construction of the restaurant being constructed at the Narayanhiti Durbar Museum premises. The committee had signed an agreement with Batas Company to run restaurant business on 10 ropanis of the land of the museum. The news that a restaurant was being built inside the Narayanhiti Durbar Museum, which is considered an archeological site, was widely criticized.