Chitwan, October 27
Construction of the Gautam Buddha International Cricket Stadium in Bharatpur Metropolitan City-15 has fallen behind schedule.
Construction is due to be completed by January 11, but progress stands at only 65 percent so far.
According to Adarsh Pokhrel, an engineer at Bharatpur Metropolitan City, the construction company halted work for a period after some delays in the release of funds, which has put the project behind the contract schedule.
Under the agreement, the metropolitan city is to receive 70 percent of the payment for the stadium from Bagmati Province. He said the work was affected because the province was late in releasing its budget.
He added that the construction company has also been slow, so it does not look likely that the work will be completed by January. Samrat Silwal, the construction company’s manager, said that rising prices of construction materials, changing weather, and the need to build on old structures, among other factors, prevented the work from being completed on time.
He said that because construction is being carried out on an old structure, technical decisions have at times conflicted with one another, which has also caused problems.
With work on the playing field in particular running late, it is almost certain that construction will not finish on time. The construction company is therefore preparing to ask Bharatpur Metropolitan City for an extension. An application for an extension must be submitted 35 days before the contract expires.
With the construction period nearly over, the stadium’s first variation order was approved on Asoj 28. The contract was initially signed for Rs 785.09 million (including VAT), but the cost has now risen to Rs 862.48 million. The company says this means not only a higher cost but also additional construction work, which is another reason the project will not be completed within the contract period.
According to Santosh Acharya, divisional engineer at Bharatpur Metropolitan City, the main work remaining is on the playing field. Four layers of soil must be laid and pipes installed within them. Soft soil will then be spread on top and Baruna grass planted. In addition, work on the two towers has reached its final stage. Of the four parapets, two have been completed, while the third is 90 percent done and the fourth 70 percent.
Electrical installation also remains. Acharya said it would not take long if the construction company works regularly. Around 80 workers are currently on site each day, he said, adding that work continued even during Dashain.
Bharatpur Metropolitan City, together with the Bagmati Provincial Government, had moved the stadium project forward by signing a contract with the Himalayan–Kalinchowk BBR JV on July 8, 2024.
The Dhurmus–Suntali Foundation had handed the responsibility to the metropolitan city, saying it could not carry out the work because of financial constraints. The metropolitan city then revived the stalled stadium project, with the Bagmati Provincial Government providing 70 percent of the investment and the metropolitan city 30 percent.
Because Chitwan is home to a national-level cricket club, the Chitwan Rhinos, and because enthusiasm for the NPL has grown in recent times, there is pressure to complete the stadium quickly so that international matches can be played in Chitwan.
Acting Mayor of Bharatpur Metropolitan City Chitrasen Adhikari said the metropolitan city is ready to provide all the support the construction company needs, and that he has been urging it to finish the work quickly.
He said that although there were some delays in payment in the last fiscal year, the metropolitan city has facilitated everything else.
“We have been telling the construction company to complete the stadium quickly. It won’t be very late now,” he said.
Adhikari said that with cricket growing in popularity across the country, the metropolitan city is eager to see the stadium completed quickly so that national and international matches can be held in Bharatpur.
-RSS
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