Nepal reopens heritage sites

June 16 (TravelAndy): Nepal reopened six of its seven earthquake-hit World Heritage sites in Kathmandu valley on Monday despite Unesco raising safety concerns, said reports.

Bhaktapur, Hanumandhoka, Patan Durbar Square, Boudhanath and Swayambhunath stupas and Pashupatinath were the sites that have been opened.

Only Changu Narayan, the seventh heritage site, remains closed.

Access is restricted in some areas of the heritage sites, in order to ensure safety.

“Safety measures like helmets for tourists have been adopted. We needed to reopen these sites to send a positive message,” Bhesh Narayan Dahal, director general of Nepal’s archaeology department reportedly said at the Bhaktapur Durbar Square near Kathmandu.

Tourism drives the Himalayan country’s economy.