Kathmandu: Firefighters have been deployed to extinguish a fire set on the buildings occupied by the Department of Roads and the Department of Transport under the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport.
According to National News Agency Nepal, the buildings were set on fire during the GenZ demonstrations on Tuesday. Ministry Spokesperson Bhimarjun Adhikari stated that although the fire caused no significant damages to the Ministry building, the buildings of the twin departments were destroyed. He reported that fire flames could still be seen inside the buildings.
Firefighters from the Lalitpur metropolis have been mobilized to put out the fire. In addition to the buildings, motor vehicles owned by both entities were burnt down during the incident.
Details on the extent of the loss are yet to be confirmed and will be collected soon, Adhikari added.
Administrative buildings inside the Singha Durbar, the country’s federal administrative complex, were reduced to ashes. Some of these buildings held artistic and historic significance, while others had been reconstructed after the earthquake of 2015.
The loss of documents in these buildings is incalculable, some argued.
The Singha Durbar, along with other significant entities such as the Supreme Court, Kathmandu District Court, Special Court, and the Shital Niwas, were set on fire during the demonstrations.
Employees of the offices inside Singha Durbar have started cleaning the premises.
Chief Secretary Eknarayan Aryal inspected the wreckage, noting that the loss is massive and irreparable, and it will take time to collect the details.