KATHMANDU, Nepal–Preparations for the upcoming 18th South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Summit scheduled for this year in Kathmandu are in full swing.
Though Nepal has proposed hosting the summit during the 35th meeting of SAARC council of Ministers in Maldives, the exact date for the summit is yet to be fixed. However, officials say the summit is likely to be held in the second week of November.
Nepal has already fallen behind the schedule even this time due to political crisis.
The country has already hosted the third SAARC summit back in 1987, the 11th one in 2002.
Preparation works are gradually gaining momentum. For the beautification of the Kathmandu city, several committees have already been formed, and they are focused in the maintenance and renovation of the city´s infrastructure.
Prime Minister Sushil Koirala has already held a meeting at his office in Singh Durbar with various concerned ministers to expedite preparations for the summit.
The meeting has decided to form a National Main Organizing Committee under the prime minister and over a dozen other committees to expedite preparations for the summit.
Similarly, various committees have been formed at the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) office led by the officials.
The KMC has been given a direction to put extra efforts to ensure proper sanitation and decoration of the city areas in view of the upcoming summit.
The KMC is working on cleanliness drive, maintenance of existing heritage sites of the city, repair and maintenance of footpaths, installation of solar lights, among others, to give a facelift to the capital city.
Likewise, renovation of Tudikhel and Khulla Manch are also on the cards. The Ministry of Local Development has been entrusted with a special responsibility of beautifying the capital city in the run up to the summit.
Many bridges over River Baghmati that flows through Kathmandu are being given a fresh coat of paint.