Committee Assesses Rs 84.45 Billion in Physical Damage from Gen-Z Protests

A committee formed to assess losses from the Gen-Z movement and design a reconstruction plan for damaged public infrastructure submitted its report to Prime Minister Sushila Karki on Thursday, December 11.

Rabilal Pantha, Secretary at the National Planning Commission (NPC) and coordinator of the committee, also briefed the Cabinet. He presented a summary of the findings during the meeting at Singha Durbar, Kathmandu.

The government had formed the committee on September 21 under the leadership of the NPC Secretary. 

According to the assessment, the protests caused damage across all seven provinces. The disruptions affected 54 districts and 262 local levels.

The report records 77 deaths. Twenty people died on September 8, the first day of the protest. Another 37 died on September 9, and 20 more in the days that followed.

A total of 2,429 people were injured. Seventeen of them are below 13 years of age. Another 1,433 injured fall in the 13–28 age group.

The committee estimates that physical damage amounts to Rs 84.45 billion. It identified 2,168 affected agencies and institutions. Damage was reported in 2,671 buildings, valued at Rs 39.31 billion.

Vehicle damage was extensive. A total of 12,659 vehicles were affected, leading to losses worth Rs 12.93 billion.

Losses in the government and public sector stand at Rs 44.93 billion. The private sector lost an estimated Rs 33.54 billion. Community and other sectors recorded losses worth Rs 5.97 billion.

Of the government-sector damage, 68 percent falls under the federal government. Provincial governments account for 10 percent, while local levels represent 22 percent.

The committee has also proposed a reconstruction action plan. It estimates that rebuilding will require Rs 36.30 billion.