Raising Nepal from the ashes

Kathmandu is picking up the pieces the morning after Tuesday’s arson and rampage

Photos by Amit Machamasi
Nepal Army soldiers guarding what is left of the gutted Parliament building on Wednesday morning.

On Wednesday morning, orange flames are still leaping out of the windows of Singha Darbar. Fire trucks which could finally make their way in, were trying to douse the fires. Most of the ministries inside Singha Darbar, including the Prime Minister’s Office, are charred hulks.

Singha Darbar’s imposing west facade built by Chandra Shumsher Rana 117 years ago and the hall where he met visiting foreign envoys was destroyed in the 2015 earthquake.

It was restored last year to its original splendour with stained glass windows and an ornate ceiling. After demonstrators entered the central government secretariat on 9 September they set the entire complex on fire. Dozens of SUVs and cars that were smashed and burnt litter the parking lot. 

Across to the south at the Supreme Court, a fire truck belonging to Kathmandu Metropolitan City is trying to put out the flames. The building is still smoking, and hundreds of case files have gone up in flames. There is now also a threat from escaped prisoners from jails all over the country. 

Raising Nepal from the ashes
Raising Nepal from the ashes
Nepal Army cleaning up the debris outside the main gate of Singha Darbar.

 

Raising Nepal from the ashes
The grand staircase leading to the upper balcony of the Parliament building.
Raising Nepal from the ashes
Nepal Army armoured car guarding the Baneswor intersection outside Parliament.
Raising Nepal from the ashes
The row of electric vehicle showrooms in Thapathali were all torched with the cars inside.

Interestingly, the under construction Supreme Court, and the newly-built Parliament Complex are untouched. The current Parliament is housed in the Birendra International Convention Centre (BICC) built by the Chinese in 1993, and was the first target of protesters on 8 September. Outside its gates was where 20 students were shot and killed as they tried to storm the gates.

After Tuesday’s mayhem, Kathmandu’s streets are now under control of the Nepal Army which has imposed a nationwide curfew. K P Oli was whisked out of his official residence in Baluwatar on Tuesday at 1pm and is now in Dubai. 

Tuesday and Wednesday saw additional 8 casualties, including policemen who were lynched in Tinkune and Budanilkantha.

Raising Nepal from the ashes
The parking area of the Department of Roads with a row of charred cars.
Raising Nepal from the ashes
Raising Nepal from the ashes
A police vehicle set on fire by demonstrators at Patan Darbar Square on Tuesday.

The Army is negotiating with the president and representatives of the Hami Nepal group that organised the GenZ protests to form a new government. Kathmandu Mayor Balen Shah and former Supreme Court Chief Justice Sushila Karki have been named as potential candidates to lead the new government

The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal has decided to keep Kathmandu airport closed for all domestic and international flights ‘until further notice’.

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