Ratnapark has made the Kathmandu Metropolitan City, the body that operates the recreational area, richer by Rs 230,590 in just about five days, thanks to the Nepali Congress jamboree held in the Capital. 

The NC, which held its inaugural session at Khula Manch, which is next to Ratnapark, held its other General Convention activities, not very far from it. Ratnapark was reopened in June last year after renovation. 

According to a KMC official, the metropolis collected Rs 119,920 from entry tickets on March 3, the day the NC held its inaugural session. The park sold 3,925 tickets for adult and 253 to students on that day.

Ratnapark, on an average, earns around Rs 17,000 a day or Rs 500,000 per month.  

The entry ticket is priced Rs 25 for adults and Rs 15 for students, while entry for the elderly, differently-abled and children under five is free. 

Thousands of local representatives of the party had come to the Capital to attend the General Convention held to elect new leadership for next four years. 

“The dramatic increase in the collection was due to the gathering of people from outside the Capital,” said Harisharan KC, unit chief of Ratnapark and Ranipokhari at KMC.

According to KC, free Wi-Fi service also attracted a good number of city visitors. 

The KMC has been providing free Wi-Fi service on trial for the past few weeks, making it the only public place in the country which allows the facility free after people pay the entry fee. 

Rabin Man Shrestha, chief of the KMC Environment Division, said construction of child and disabled-friendly toilets and a coffee shop inside the park is also underway.  “Once we provide these facilities, we hope the number of visitors will increase,” said Shrestha.  

For the construction of a lavatory in the area, Unicef has provided $6,000 to the KMC.