Nagarkot to have an amusement park

Bhaktapur, May 16: The Changunarayan Municipality is planning a grand amusement park with a view tower and other entertainment and adventure sports facilities in Nagarkot, a touristic hill station in the border of Bhaktapur and Kavrepalanchowk districts.

The Rs. 2 billion project will have a view tower, zip flyer, 5-star hotel and other facilities.

"A team of Nepali-American investors are interested to develop the project and they have already spent Rs. 3.2 million in conducting the feasibility study and other preparations," said Som Prasad Mishra, Mayor of the municipality.

However, the local government is facing a challenge in finding a suitable land for the project. "We have been searching private sector investors to develop the project, and found it. But there is still a challenge to find a land," he said.

Mishra said that the project was also facing challenges due to lack of support from the local hotels since they feared that the new large hotel might impact on their hospitality business.

According to him, mayors of all four municipalities in the district are in the discussion to work together in certain infrastructure and tourism development programmes and projects.

The municipality has also submitted the project to the Investment Board Nepal to get the necessary government support.

Similarly, eco-trail and entertainment park projects are also in the plan.

The 3.2 km long eco-trail, a proposed hiking and nature experience product, will stretch from Mohan Pokhari to Mahadev Pokhari.

Changu Narayan Municipality is set to develop a circuit around the Changunarayan Temple, one of the seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites, built by Lichchhavi king Manadev about 16 centuries ago.

Likewise, nine historic ponds in the Changu hills will be renovated. The municipality has allocated Rs. 50 million budget for the two projects.

Need of integrated plan

Speaking at an interaction, entrepreneurs and stakeholders in Bhaktapur said that the district lacked an integrated tourism development master plan.

The Bhaktapur Tourism Development Centre had developed a master plan for tourism development in the district more than a decade ago, but it was never implemented.

Mayor Mishra said that it was time to develop another integrated strategy and all the municipalities needed to work together for the same.

Bhaktapur District Coordination Committee Chairman Navaraj Gelal said that the municipalities and the district must coordinate with the other districts and local bodies in order to develop a provincial-level tourism development and promotion plan.

Likewise, Chief District Officer of the district Narayan Prasad Bhatta urged the stakeholders to create linkages among the tourism products in the district and increase the stay of tourists.

Chairman of the National Media Centre, the organiser of the event, Peshal Acharya stressed on the need to extend the stay of tourists in Bhaktapur.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 17 May 2019.