Parliament Building Construction Extended for the Sixth Time; Project Remains Unfinished After Seven Years

Despite multiple deadline extensions, the construction of the new parliament building remains incomplete, with authorities now planning to extend the deadline by another six months. The government had awarded the contract for the building within Singha Durbar with the aim of completing it before the regular parliamentary elections scheduled for Mangsir 2079 (November-December 2022). The sixth extension expired in Asar (June/July) this year. However, contractors have completed approximately 95 percent of the work, while the final design of the National Assembly building and the dome on the roof is still pending, according to officials. Some construction materials are being imported from China.

Officials from the Department of Construction are pressuring the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development to complete and hand over the project as soon as possible. Ekram Giri, spokesperson for the Parliament Secretariat, stated that the building should have already been handed over for use. Due to the incomplete work, preparations are underway to extend the deadline for the seventh time. “Under the Public Procurement Act, an extension can be granted once, and the process is currently underway as per our information,” he added.

“This building was supposed to be made available to the Secretariat already. Its absence has caused numerous challenges in conducting sessions. The current assembly halls are not adequate for proper meetings. We have been managing with temporary arrangements,” Giri explained. Both chairpersons of the two houses regularly receive updates on the construction progress. Last year in Bhadra (August/September), during the first day of the Generation Z movement, several students were killed by police gunfire. The following day, enraged protesters set fire to and destroyed the parliament building located in New Baneshwor.

Before the upcoming House of Representatives election in Falgun (February/March), authorities planned to complete the new parliamentary complex as quickly as possible. Since the meeting hall was not ready by the end of Falgun, newly elected Members of Parliament took their oath in one of the halls of the incomplete building and have been holding regular sessions there since. This year’s government policy and budget were also presented from this complex.