Developments in Bhaktapur : Everything that could be done wrong…

In 1974, the Federal Republic of Ger¬many sponsored the first major deve¬lopment effort in Bhaktapur, a project designed to "tackle the economic and social problems … and to preserve the valuable cultural heritage" of this Kath-mandu Valley town inhabited by the Newar community. In its early .years. the Bhaktapur Development Project (BDP) concentrated on restoring im¬portant architectural monuments, temr pies, resthouses and historic buildings in the north-east section, and began constructing a modern water and sewer-age system. Forced, in part, by the local population´s protests, the BDP transi-tioned from technical, restoration to a community development project. BDP´s work began to taper off in 1983 and finally ended in 1985, so´ the time is now perhaps ripe to assess its record against the backdrop of the development reality in Bhaktapur.

Economic Centre
Bhaktapur´s former prosperity was dependent on its role as an economic centre for surrounding village areas, especially those to the east, and this position was undermined by the new road networks that favoured Kathmandu. The BDP itself recommended that the southern outskirts of town where the main highway passes not be developed, a fact that undoubtedly contributed to Bhaktapur´s failure to exploit its location. Stopping the natural economic evolution of the city because it violates the "museum aproach" to the town was a recurring error in BDP logic. Its planners failed to comprehend that unless enough new local weajth is generated, the local economy can never maintain the temples, houses aud monasteries which is haslso carefully restored.