Tikapur park welcomes over 14,000 visitors in a single day, earns Rs 8 lakh in revenue

Tikapur: Tikapur Park has set a new record with more than 14,000 tourists visiting in a single day. Both visitor numbers and entry fee collections reached record levels on the first day of 2083 BS.

“On 1 Baisakh 2082, revenue of Rs 500,000 was collected,” said Arjun Kunwar, head of the park branch of Tikapur Municipality. “This year, 14,831 tourists entered the park in a single day, and revenue of Rs 770,160 has been collected.”

Local resident Lok Bahadur Budha said that due to the large crowd, the road was blocked after 2 pm and visitors had to return via an alternate route without entering the park. He added that traffic congestion lasting over an hour has become frustrating for tourists due to the single-lane bridge at Rani Kula.

According to Nanda Bahadur KC, head of the municipality’s revenue branch, income from the park has been increasing every year. “In fiscal year 2080/81, Rs 6.4 million was collected, while in 2081/82, Rs 9.344 million was collected,” he said. “In the first nine months of this year, Rs 10.8 million has already been collected.” The entry fee for the park is Rs 50 per person.

He added that the park’s natural beauty, historical significance, and the water park on the adjacent Karnali River are contributing to its tourism and economic potential. Chief Administrative Officer Suman Dhital said a Detailed Project Report (DPR) worth Rs 140 million has been prepared and submitted to the federal government for approval. He noted that parking areas, a children’s park, and older structures require renovation, and that expansion will be possible if central funding is secured.

The park has historical significance linked to an incident in 2024 BS when then King Mahendra, while returning from hunting in Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve, suffered a sudden heart attack on Chaitra 24. The helicopter carrying him made an emergency landing in Tikapur, where he stayed for a month during recovery. Following this, the area was later developed as a park. The Mahendra Arogya Griha, Birendra Bishram Vatika, a rose garden with more than 50 varieties, and boating facilities on the nearby Karnali River continue to attract tourists.