Gautam Buddha Cricket Stadium Budget Stalled Due to Slow Construction Progress

 Bharatpur, Chitwan – July 29:

More than Rs 105 million meant for the construction of the Gautam Buddha International Cricket Stadium in Bharatpur went unused last fiscal year due to delays by the contractor.

The construction company, Himalayan Kalinchok BBR JV, failed to speed up the work on time, causing both the federal and provincial governments' funds to remain unspent. Out of the total allocation, Rs 73.43 million from the federal government and Rs 32 million from the Bagmati Province were left unused.

In total, the federal government had allocated Rs 250 million, but only Rs 176.5 million was spent. Similarly, Bagmati Province had allocated Rs 100 million but used only Rs 68 million — meaning just 69.87% of the total budget was utilized. The contractor received three payments totaling Rs 176.56 million and had already taken an advance of Rs 136 million the previous year.

Only 35% Work Completed So Far

By the end of the fiscal year in mid-July, construction progress stood at only 27.49%. Project Manager Binay Dhakal later claimed that, with the VIP parapet slab completed, progress had reached around 35%.

Bharatpur Metropolitan City expressed frustration with the contractor’s slow pace. With fears that the budget might be frozen, Mayor Renu Dahal called contractor representative Bikash Gautam to the site in May and urged faster progress. Gautam had promised to complete 40% of the work by the fiscal year’s end — but with less than 30% done, the unspent Rs 105 million was frozen, despite being in the city’s account.

Excuses, Shortages, and Missed Targets

During an inspection in May, the contractor claimed only 100 workers were on site. Despite city officials offering full support, little progress was made. Project Manager Dhakal later said only around 90 workers remained, as many had left to plant rice. He also blamed delays on the late arrival of concrete materials.

Dhakal said they were preparing for the second VIP tower slab and that work on the first VIP tower pillars and the eastern parapet would begin soon. So far, they’ve covered 200 meters with drainage and built 115 meters of the compound wall. Field and pitch work, including five pitches, will only start after the Dashain festival.

Contract Signed in 2024, Completion Due in 2027

The construction contract was signed on July 7, 2024, with a completion deadline of January 6, 2027. While Kathmandu’s TU International Cricket Ground began parapet work only in March/April, its progress has been much faster than the Bharatpur stadium.

From Dhurmus–Suntali to Bharatpur City

The stadium project was initially led by the Dhurmus–Suntali Foundation but stalled in 2021 due to a lack of funds. Bharatpur Metropolitan City took over in 2024 with financial support from the federal, provincial, and local governments.

The first phase of the project, worth Rs 780 million, includes a 10,000-seat parapet. The Dhurmus–Suntali team had earlier built a 3,000-seat structure. The completed stadium will have five pitches, a modern drainage system, and two three-storey VIP towers — one for players and guests, and the other for media, umpires, and corporate seating.

No Federal Budget This Year

This fiscal year, the federal government hasn’t allocated any funds for the stadium. Bagmati Province has set aside Rs 90 million, and Bharatpur Metropolitan has contributed Rs 40 million. Last year, their contributions were Rs 100 million and Rs 50 million, respectively. In February 2024, Bagmati Province committed Rs 525 million for the stadium.

Mayor Dahal shared that in the next phase, the stadium will include seating for an additional 15,000 people, chairs, and floodlights. The Dhurmus–Suntali Foundation had already installed 286 pillars to support seating for 30,000 people.

In November 2023, the federal cabinet declared the Gautam Buddha Cricket Stadium a National Pride Project, with the aim of completing it with joint support from federal, provincial, and local governments.