Strategic Intervention

Through participatory methods that were feasible considering the Covid-19 pandemic, I analyzed and discussed the problems with various stakeholders of the Baisnavdevi Temple Area. The major problems were the need for physical infrastructure and lack of waste management. I have proposed two different strategic interventions which will best suit the need of the stakeholders of the Baisnavdevi Temple Area.

Provison of Benches and Chairs

WHAT?

I gathered through various initial observations that the Baisnavdevi Temple Area lacks the physical infrastructures like benches and chairs for the visitors. The temple area has a triangular shape which consists of a shrine at one corner and cremation sites at the other. Other areas are mostly covered with trees and unmanaged bushes As the area is large and has got lots of woods and trees which make the area much peaceful and serene. But, due to a lack of spot to sit the area has not been used for its full potential.

WHY?

During the interviews with the residents and the temple goers, most of them desired to have the spot to sit and relax around the temple area. The elderly people mostly wanted to be there to spend their time by being in a peaceful atmosphere. Keeping chairs and benches will also be helpful to integrate people of different castes around the area as the population from various social groups will be joining the space for recreation. When they come and start using the space every day certainly there will be some form of communal

ownership of the space. So, it will also act as an initiating factor to bridge a gap between different social and caste groups.

HOW?

I have proposed the idea of placing several benches and chairs in the open spaces of Baisnavdevi Temple Area. A donation box will be kept in the temple where the fund will be collected. Similarly, the fee to use the cremation site and the collected money from the temple will be used to make chairs and benches for the spaces. The management of the budget and the placement of the benches and chairs will be done by the Guthi System.

Figure 27. Benches to Sit for Visitors

Management of Wastes and Overall Area

WHAT?

Since, the start of the observation, the problem of the wastes was visible to me as well as the space users. A proper waste bin around different places and routine cleaning of the areas is most needed to maintain the wastes and serene of the space. The wastage from the temple and the cremation sites can be managed by keeping them at proper bins which later will be collected by garbage collectors.

WHY?

During the interviews, most of the residents of the Bagdole Area had cited the need for proper management of the temple and the wastages around it. They had expressed that if proper waste bins would be placed around different spaces of the area and routine check of the bushes around the area would be done, the space would be much more lively and beautiful. Placement of proper waste bins will maintain the cleanliness around the spaces of the temple area and attract the residents to use the spaces for socializing and conduct different communal activities.

HOW?

I have proposed the idea of placing waste bins around the spaces of the Temple Area. Similarly, the routine check with the busses around the area

shall be done by the Guthi System. For the budget, the collected money from the donation and cremation site fees will be used as an initial phase intervention. In the long run, the Ward Office and the Metropolitan City Office shall facilitate the budget for creating permanent intervention.

Figure 28. Waste Bins for Waste Management