The "View Tower Epidemic" in Nepal

The proliferation of view towers across Nepal is a striking phenomenon, reflecting deeper issues in local governance, development priorities, and political culture. Below is a comprehensive exploration of what triggered this trend, how it has unfolded, and what its consequences have been.

 

Origins and Political Triggers

• Decentralization and Local Competition
  The surge began after the 2017 elections, which empowered local governments with new fiscal and administrative authority. This created intense competition among municipalities and rural municipalities to demonstrate visible "development" through concrete, high-profile projects. View towers became a favorite choice, as they are highly visible and symbolically significant123.
• Political Showmanship and Legacy Building
  National leaders set the tone. For example, former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli laid the foundation for a Rs2.5 billion view tower in his home constituency of Damak, Jhapa, while Maoist leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal inaugurated a massive tower in Rolpa to commemorate the Maoist insurgency13. These high-profile events encouraged local leaders to follow suit, hoping to leave their own legacies3.

 

Misplaced Priorities and Public Criticism

• Neglect of Basic Needs
  Many view towers are built in rural areas lacking essential infrastructure such as schools, hospitals, and roads12. For instance, while a Rs60 million view tower was built in Rolpa, reports surfaced of women giving birth on roads due to the absence of health facilities in Bajura—highlighting the stark contrast between political priorities and community needs1.
• Expert and Public Outrage
  Experts, former officials, and the general public have condemned these projects as wasteful and out of touch. Social media is rife with criticism, with many users pointing out that the towers are not demanded by locals but are the result of unilateral decisions by politicians123.

 

Economic and Operational Realities

• Idle and Unused Structures
  Many towers remain unused or unfinished years after construction. The 10-story, Rs115 million tower in Tilottama, Rupandehi, inaugurated by KP Oli, has remained closed to the public due to incomplete lower-level construction and lack of operational planning4. Similarly, in Sindhuli, several towers built by local governments are idle, with some not even inaugurated due to political disputes or lack of supporting infrastructure5.
• Lack of Business Plans and Sustainability
  There is often no clear business model or analysis of return on investment. For example, the Rs90 million Everest View Tower in Udaypur’s Lumchungbung Municipality is unlikely to benefit its 12,000 residents or improve governance3. In Sindhuli, towers were built with the aim of promoting tourism, but without basic amenities like hotels or drinking water, they fail to attract visitors or generate revenue5.

 

Provincial and National Scale

• Massive Public Expenditure
  The scale is staggering:
• Bagmati Province alone has built towers in nine of its 13 districts at a cost of Rs238 million2.
• Gandaki Province allocated Rs180 million for view towers on already high peaks2.
• Province 1 set aside Rs10 billion for towers in 16 sites23.
• Chandragiri has a Rs5 billion tower under construction, and another Rs9 billion project is ongoing elsewhere3.
• Symbolic Over Substance
  Towers are often built on already scenic, high-altitude locations, adding little to the natural view. Their symbolic value for politicians far outweighs their practical utility for locals23.

Case Studies and Examples

Location	Cost & Features	Outcome/Issues
Rolpa Municipality	Rs60 million, inaugurated by Dahal	Criticized as wasteful, not demanded by locals13
Tilottama Municipality, Rupandehi	Rs115 million, 10 stories, inaugurated by Oli	Remains unused, incomplete, no public access4
Golanjor, Sindhuli	Rs8.6 million, 4 stories	No supporting infrastructure, idle5
Phikkal, Sindhuli	Rs10.5 million, 7 stories	Not inaugurated, political dispute, idle5
Kamalamai, Sindhuli	Rs20.75 million, 4 stories	Locals objected, not serving community needs5
Damak, Jhapa	Rs1.5 billion, 18 stories	Mega project, criticized as extravagance13
Udaypur (Lumchungbung)	Rs90 million, Everest view tower	No clear benefit to locals, questionable ROI3

 

Underlying Motives and Broader Trends

• Tourism Justification—Often Hollow
  Local governments often claim these towers will boost tourism, but in practice, most lack supporting infrastructure (hotels, roads, water) and business plans5. Many remain idle, failing to generate income or jobs as promised45.
• Budget Utilization Pressures
  With increased budgets and a lack of clear development guidelines, local leaders find it easier to spend on tangible, high-visibility projects—regardless of actual demand or long-term benefit23.
• "Edifice Complex"
  The drive to leave behind a physical legacy—sometimes called an "edifice complex"—motivates leaders at all levels to prioritize monuments over meaningful improvements in living standards3.

 

Consequences and Lessons

• Wasted Resources and Opportunity Costs
  Billions of rupees have been diverted from critical sectors like health, education, and water supply to fund these towers123. This has led to widespread public frustration and skepticism about the motives and competence of elected officials.
• Political Backlash and Calls for Reform
  Public criticism has intensified, especially on social media, with calls for greater accountability and a shift in priorities toward projects that genuinely address local needs13. Experts hope that future elections will bring leaders more attuned to community demands1.

 

Summary Table: Triggers and Outcomes of Nepal’s View Tower Epidemic

Trigger	Example/Details	Outcome/Consequence
Local government competition	Post-2017, palikas race to build visible projects	Hundreds of towers, many idle or unfinished
Political legacy/showmanship	Oli’s Damak tower, Dahal’s Rolpa tower	High-cost, high-profile inaugurations
Tourism development rationale	Sindhuli, Udaypur, Tilottama towers	Little actual tourism benefit, poor planning
Budget utilization pressure	Bagmati, Gandaki, Province 1 massive allocations	Money diverted from essential services
Edifice complex	“Leaving a mark” mentality	Symbolic structures, not community-driven

Conclusion

The view tower epidemic in Nepal is a vivid illustration of how political incentives, flawed development priorities, and a desire for visible legacy projects can override genuine community needs. Despite hundreds of millions spent, many towers stand as monuments to misplaced ambition—idle, underused, and sometimes even locked to the public. The lesson is clear: sustainable development requires listening to local communities, prioritizing essential needs, and demanding accountability from those in power12345.

 

1. https://kathmandupost.com/national/2022/04/02/nepali-public-sees-view-towers-in-rural-areas-as-misplaced-spending
2. https://nepalitimes.com/news/myopic-view-tower-building-spree
3. https://nepalitimes.com/news/nepal-s-shortsighted-view-tower-craze
4. https://risingnepaldaily.com/news/55269
5. https://risingnepaldaily.com/news/22065
6. https://www.scribd.com/document/460286069/Final-Report-View-tower-docx
7. https://thehimalayantimes.com/blogs/view-on-view-towers
8. https://myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com/news/jhapa-s-rs-2-billion-business-tower-remains-vacant-ahead-of-inauguration-1
9. https://nhrc.gov.np/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Final-review-climate-change-and-survailalcne-in-Nepal.pdf
10. https://files.emdat.be/2024/07/Post%20disaster%20epidemics%20surveillance%20in%20Nepal_Survey%20Report_7-2-2024.pdf
11. https://en.setopati.com/social/121215
12. https://prajbhatt.com/architecture/view-towers-in-rural-nepal/09/2024/
13. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10257514/
14. https://www.tendersontime.com/tenders-details/construction-rcc-view-tower-satdobato-rolpa-municipality-3-rolpa-1e1ef91/
15. https://ekantipur.com/en/business/2025/02/07/millions-of-tourist-structures-under-rockpaper-14-13.html
16. https://mindtrip.ai/attraction/liwang-mid-western-region/view-tower-liwang-rolpa-nepal/at-IJSq0WON
17. https://nepalntp.gov.np/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/EPI-Report-27-May-2020.pdf
18. https://myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com/news/view-tower-construction-begins-without-eia-approval