Singha Durbar Vehicle Damage
16th September 2025, Kathmandu
In a severe blow to government infrastructure and public property, a total of 1,042 vehicles were reportedly destroyed or vandalized inside and in the vicinity of Singha Durbar during the recent protests on September 9 (Bhadra 24).
Singha Durbar Vehicle Damage
The massive scale of the destruction has highlighted the economic and logistical fallout of the unrest, affecting various government ministries and departments, and disrupting essential services.
According to initial reports compiled from government offices and observations by Gorkhapatra, the total damage includes 441 four-wheelers (small cars, vans, and buses) and 601 two-wheelers (motorcycles and scooters).
The sheer number of vehicles destroyed paints a grim picture of the widespread vandalism that occurred at the heart of Nepal’s administrative center.
The damages were not limited to a single location but were spread across numerous government bodies, with some departments suffering far greater losses than others.
The Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, a symbol of the country’s executive power, was one of the most affected, with a staggering 47 four-wheelers and 74 two-wheelers set on fire.
The Ministry of Finance also suffered significant losses, with 36 four-wheelers and 54 two-wheelers burned, which will undoubtedly impede government operations.
The Ministry of Home Affairs, responsible for internal security, saw 25 four-wheelers and 30 two-wheelers damaged. The destruction extended to key public service departments, which will face significant challenges in the coming days.
The Department of Urban Development and Building Construction reported the loss of 50 vehicles and over 200 motorcycles and scooters, a staggering figure that will severely impact its ability to carry out field work and inspections.
The Department of Roads, crucial for the nation’s infrastructure, lost 65 four-wheelers, with the number of damaged motorcycles reported as “uncountable.”
This massive loss of transport will hamper road repair and maintenance efforts across the country, especially with the monsoon season approaching its end.
The judiciary was not spared either. The Supreme Court reported 51 damaged vehicles, though an exact breakdown is yet to be confirmed.
The Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office, located near Singha Durbar, saw 18 four-wheelers and 39 motorcycles go up in flames. This damage, combined with the loss of their central data server, as previously reported, will severely cripple the traffic police’s ability to enforce regulations and manage city traffic.
Other ministries and government bodies also sustained heavy losses. The Federal Parliament Secretariat lost 18 four-wheelers and 36 two-wheelers, while the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology lost 26 four-wheelers and 47 two-wheelers.
The Ministry of Health and Population, already a critical service provider, is now grappling with the destruction of 22 vehicles and 14 two-wheelers, a loss that will impact its public health programs and emergency response capabilities.
This incident, which has led to a significant loss of public property, underscores the need for a comprehensive plan for damage assessment, reconstruction, and security enhancement at government facilities.
The NADA Automobiles Association of Nepal has already called on the government for support to normalize the auto sector, which has been hit hard by the unrest.
The destruction of these vehicles represents a major economic setback, the cost of which will be borne by the state and, ultimately, the taxpayer. As the country begins the long and arduous process of rebuilding.
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