GORKHA, Sept 9: A total of 490 schools in Gorkha, which were damaged by the devastating earthquake of 2015, have now received new or repaired buildings. According to Bishnu Prasad Mishra, chief of the project implementation unit in Gorkha, rooms that were partially or fully damaged have been rebuilt.

"Reconstruction work of all the schools in the district have come to an end. The classrooms, office rooms, libraries have been either newly built or have been retrofitted," he said. "There were also demands for additional number of rooms, which are under construction," he added.

The epicenter of the 7.8 magnitude earthquake was Barpak of Gorkha. The buildings, roads and rural houses were damaged in seconds. Regular aftershocks had taken a toll on the remaining infrastructures while the schools remained closed for a long time. When students, most of whom were in a state of shock and needed counseling, returned to schools, it drew headlines.

The reconstruction of the school buildings after four years has spread happiness among the locals. Education Minister Giriraj Mani Pokharel, who was in the district recently to inaugurate the newly built infrastructures stated that the new school buildings, which look like resort, are safe. "This should excite everyone. And this should be a reason to motivate students for a bright future," he said.

According to Mishra, 120 schools have demanded additional rooms and the project is underway.

Meanwhile, Mishra said that out of 10 schools whose responsibility was taken by India, two won't be built. Citing remoteness, India has refused to build the two school buildings.

Similarly, China had taken the responsibility of reconstructing one school in the district. This project is also in a limbo.