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By Our Reporter

The much-awaited reconstruction of the historic Ranipokhari started on Monday, almost 50 months after it was damaged in the 2015 earthquake. The National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) along with a consumer committee initiated the rebuilding of the 350 year-old pond.
NRA Chief Executive Officer Sushil Gyawali said that the pond would be reconstructed in traditional Malla-era Shikar style using traditional construction materials.
The pond was originally built by king Pratap Malla in 1670.
The rebuilding would be performed according to the NRA-set standards, he said.
The historic pond with the famous Balgopaleshwor Temple in its centre were damaged on April 25, 2015.
According to the NRA, the bed of the pond and side walls will be built by the consumer committee and the temple will be constructed by a construction company.
Following multiple disputes about the design of the temple and construction materials used in the side walls, a Cabinet meeting on 28 January had assigned the reconstruction body to rebuild the pond and the temple.
Initially KMC was assigned to rebuild the pond, but locals and archaeologists protested it after the city office used concrete and other modern construction materials. Then the responsibility of temple rebuilding was given to the Department of Archaeology (DoA) and it started building it in the dome style as it was before 2015 earthquake.
But locals and archaeologists demanded that the temple should be rebuilt in the original Shikhara style as was built by Pratap Malla.