The National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) is preparing a guideline to allow rebuilding and protection of the traditional housing settlements destroyed by last year’s devastating earthquakes.

A team led by Dhurba Sharma, an executive member of the NRA, has submitted the final report on the guideline on conservation of traditional housing settlements for discussion. The guideline will be instrumental in supporting the rebuilding of the traditional housing settlements like Khokana, Thecho, Macchegaun and Sanogaoun inside the Kathmandu Valley, in a better and safer way, without changing the traditional architecture by maintaining their originality.

At present, each household inside the traditional settlements are entitled to receive the same amount of rebuilding aid of Rs200,000 as other earthquake-affected households. However, the NRA is working to provide additional support to the traditional settlements, including the construction of infrastructures and beautification. “There have been concerns over funding crunch to construct the destroyed houses in traditional settlements given the use of conventional building materials and other architectural works.

The NRA is discussing about the possibility of additional funding support to rebuild houses in those traditional settlements,” said Ram Prasad Thapaliya, spokesperson for the NRA.

The NRA is seeking support from India to rebuild the traditional housing settlements as well as the historical and religious monuments destroyed by the earthquakes, said NRA Chief Executive Sushil Gyewali at a programme in the Capital last week.

The government is in the final stage of approving the project agreement regarding the grant amount worth $250 million for post-earthquake reconstruction in Nepal, including support for rebuilding housings and monuments.

Of the total amount pledged by the Indian government, $100 million has been allocated for housing reconstruction, $50 million each for rebuilding of historic and cultural monuments, reconstruction projects in the education and the health sectors.