KATHMANDU, June 16: It has been found that government agencies, responsible for enforcing regulations, have constructed multiple buildings in the Kathmandu Valley without adhering to prescribed standards and with investments worth millions of rupees. Despite the requirement of obtaining house design approval from the Kathmandu Metropolitan City for construction projects, government agencies have failed to enforce this regulation. Notably, government-owned institutions such as the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), Nepal Rastra Bank, Nepal Telecom, and Rastriya Banijya Bank (RBB) have constructed buildings without obtaining house design approval.
CAAN, for instance, has not obtained house design approval for a 10-storey building in Sinamangal, located in front of Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), with an investment of approximately Rs 2 billion. Construction on the building, which commenced in 2015, is currently in its final stage. Jagnnath Niraula, the spokesperson for CAAN, has admitted that the construction was carried out without approval of the building's blueprint.
"As it is a government building, we assumed that it did not require approval from the Kathmandu Metropolitan City, so we did not pay any attention," said Niraula. He added, "Currently, the metropolis has expedited the process of approving the blueprint after construction has already progressed. The new CAAN building is in its final phase, with painting and finishing work underway. Some employees have even started working from the new building."
Several other government agencies have also constructed large buildings without obtaining house design approval, involving significant investments. Surya Raj Acharya, an expert in Development and Infrastructure Policy, emphasizes that it is crucial for government agencies, as well as private entities, to obtain mandatory house design approval.
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"If government buildings are constructed without blueprint approval, it reflects the irresponsibility of government officials," said Acharya. He further added, "Not only private entities but also the government should strictly adhere to the standards set for building design approval. Not obtaining approval is a significant misconduct." Acharya also highlighted that design approval is essential not only for organizing buildings but also for managing and beautifying the city.
Design approval ensures systematic progress in planned development and adherence to building standards, guaranteeing safety and protecting public health. If the house design of a building has not been approved, the metropolis will not monitor its construction. "It is crucial for one authority to oversee the work done by another authority," said Acharya. "Not only privately constructed buildings, but even government buildings require blueprint approval from another authority for construction monitoring."
Upon receiving information about buildings constructed without house design approval, Suraj Shakya, Chief of the Urban Management Department of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, issued directives to release public notices and provide guidance on the process of obtaining house design approval. According to the standards, if construction has taken place without proper documentation, Shakya instructed to facilitate the process of obtaining house design approval.
Kathmandu Metropolitan City intends to take action in accordance with the Local Government Operation Act 2074 BS and existing building-related regulations, building code, and procedures to address the issue of unauthorized construction without obtaining house design approval.
The Ministry of Urban Development has established standards for building construction and implemented procedures to be followed based on these prescribed standards. The construction work must be carried out in accordance with the standards.
Government offices are subject to a maximum ground coverage limit of 50 percent and a maximum floor area ratio of 2.0 as per the standards. After obtaining design approval, the concerned authority conducts checks on aspects such as setback, open space, height, parking requirements, seismic resistance, and accessibility. Building inspections are also carried out during the construction process. Buildings without approved house designs will face scrutiny. "Government agencies cannot act according to their own will," stated Acharya. "Everyone must equally adhere to the rules."
