Roads leading to the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur will be blacktopped within three months, with the Kathmandu Road Division inviting bids for the work on Monday.
The project will be fast-tracked, with a construction company expected to be selected and contracted within 15 to 20 days, said Subodh Kumar Devkota, chief of the Kathmandu Road Division.
“We have invited bids to blacktop around 1.5 kilometres of roads connecting the main road to the cricket ground,” Devkota said.
The access roads are currently unpaved, causing dust and inconvenience for players and spectators. The division has estimated the project cost at Rs69.8 million.
Under the expedited bidding process, interested construction companies can purchase bidding documents for three days and must submit their bids by October 29. The division will then open the bids and conduct technical and financial evaluations before selecting a contractor.
“We expect to complete the selection process and sign a contract within 15 to 20 days,” Devkota said. “The contractor will have to finish the blacktopping within three months of the contract signing.”
The division has also arranged for water to be sprayed on the roads to control dust while the permanent work is pending, following complaints from players and the Cricket Association of Nepal.
“The roads around the ground are in poor condition. Blacktopping will improve their appearance and make access easier to an international cricket venue that regularly hosts national and international matches,” Devkota said.
The ground is currently hosting the third edition of the Nepal Premier League, which began on Monday. Prime Minister Balendra Shah, Education and Sports Minister Sasmit Pokharel, and Infrastructure Development Minister Sunil Lamsal attended the opening ceremony.
The improvements are also expected to benefit the ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup, which Nepal will co-host with Bangladesh from January 23. Most matches in the tournament are scheduled to be played at the Kirtipur ground. It will be the first time Nepal hosts the competition.
Roshan Kumar Singh, vice president of Cricket Association of Nepal, welcomed the decision to expedite the road upgrades, describing it as a major relief for the cricket community.
“We are very happy that the government has moved ahead with this work so quickly,” Singh said.
He added that the road division had spread gravel on the access roads before the NPL began, after inspecting the conditions around the ground.
“Roads around cricket grounds in other countries are generally well maintained, making access easy. The road division chief visited before the tournament to assess the problem areas and the distances involved,” Singh said. “Before the NPL began, 60 truckloads of gravel were laid in a single day to make it easier to get around.”
Poor road conditions had made it difficult for spectators to reach the ground, he said. Blacktopping would make access considerably easier.