The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has decided to stop the reconstruction work at Rani Pokhari after a series of controversies over the restoration of the Malla-era monument by using concrete.

A meeting at KMC on Thursday attended by KMC Mayor Bidya Sundar Shakya, Deputy Mayor Hari Prabha Khadgi, National Reconstruction Authority secretary and Director General of Department of Archaeology decided to stop the reconstruction of the Rani Pokhari and restore the original glory of the monument. 

The meeting also formed an 11-member committee under Former Director General of the Department of Archaeology Bishnu Raj Karki to conduct a study on the reconstruction of Rani Pokhari that had sustained severe damage during the 2015 earthquake. Defence Minister Bhimsen Das Pradhan, former KMC mayor and newly elected lawmaker of Kathmandu province assembly 6 (A) Keshav Sthapit and politician Ranju Darshana are the members of advisory board. The committee will submit its reports within 15 days. 

Today’s meeting has also decided to halt the ongoing construction until the committee submits its report.

Earlier, KMC Mayor Bidhya Sundar Shakya and his Deupty Hari Prabha Khadgi were at loggerheads over the use of concrete materials to build the monument. 

Locals and several heritage conservationists had padlocked the reconstruction site on Tuesday in protest against 'insensitive decision' on the part of metropolis to use concrete to build a 10-foot boundary wall on the southeastern side of the historic pond, drawing criticism from several quarters.

They also barred some three dozen workers, who were employed by the metropolis to carry out reconstruction works, from entering the ancient heritage site.

As per the Ancient Monument Preservation Act, any historic buildings and heritage sites that are over a hundred years old have to be preserved in their original form. 

Rani Pokhari, or Nhu Pukhu (new pond) in Nepal Bhasa, was built in 1670 AD by King Pratap Malla in memory of his son, to appease his wife.

The project has already fallen behind schedule due to controversy over use of concrete for rebuilding the monument.