Seven years on, Parliament complex remains unfinished

Nepal's new federal Parliament complex, a project initiated nearly seven years ago, is still incomplete, with authorities preparing for a sixth extension of the construction deadline. The prolonged delays have significantly hampered parliamentary operations, forcing the legislative bodies to convene in makeshift arrangements.

The main parliamentary building was originally slated for completion by October 2022, in time for the House elected in the 2022 general election. However, the project has faced continuous setbacks. A 300-seat multipurpose hall was hastily converted into the House of Representatives chamber, while the National Assembly is operating from a meeting hall belonging to a committee, which lacks adequate technical infrastructure and deprives the committee of its workspace.

Ekram Giri, spokesperson and joint secretary at the Federal Parliament Secretariat, described the situation as challenging, stating, "We have somehow managed to run the House in a single large hall. We have no alternative at the moment." The secretariat regularly seeks updates from the Ministry of Infrastructure Development, but has yet to receive a firm completion date for the sprawling complex, which comprises 12 separate buildings.

The construction contract, awarded in October 2019 for Rs5.67 billion, has seen its completion deadline extended five times previously. The latest extension is being prepared as authorities acknowledge the project will not be finished by the current December 31, 2025 deadline. The continuous delays have drawn scrutiny, as the shortage of functional meeting rooms complicates the work of Parliament's numerous committees.

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We have somehow managed to run the House in a single large hall. We have no alternative at the moment.