Focusing Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur districts, the Kathmandu Division Office of the DUDBC has made it mandatory for damaged public buildings (like private schools and hospital, cinema halls, shopping complexes, party palaces, etc) and apartments to come up with plans and get them approved from the division office for needful maintenance. Such study need to be conducted involving third party consultants.

As per the division office, the maintenance and retrofitting of earthquake damaged public buildings, apartments and their walls must be carried out as per National Building Code and directives under it. In case of any casualty and loss of property for not abiding the set rules for maintenance, the developers will be held solely responsible and they will also face action as per Ownership of Joint Housing Act 1997 and Building Act 1998, the division office says.

Developers will also be required to get certification allowing use of the buildings after the maintenance or retrofitting. Buildings repaired and retrofitted flouting government set rules will be prohibited for use.

In case of private buildings or houses damaged from the earthquake, owners are not required to get approval for repair plan. Private house owners, as per the division office, can make plans for maintenance and retrofitting with the support of engineers registered with the Nepal Engineering Council. The division office has requested private home owners whose houses have suffered serious damages to move back in their homes only after carrying out necessary repairs.

source: the himalayan times, 25 may 2015