KATHMANDU: Both the cost and time of the projects run under the national pride projects have been found to have increased.

The 59th report released by the Office of the Auditor General on Wednesday has mentioned so.

The government in the fiscal year 2068/69 had put 17 projects—constructing foundation of prosperous road infrastructure development, increasing production and productivity of agriculture through irrigation facility, hydropower, airport construction, arrangement of drinking water as well as other sector on high priority and announced national pride projects for its implementation.

There are now 24 different projects under the national pride projects so far.

The report of the office of the Auditor General mentioned that the progress detail of these projects till the fiscal year 2077/78 is nil. Though the construction of national pride projects have been carried out with priority since 10 years, other projects except Upper Tamakoshi project have yet to be completed, reads the report.

Starting construction activities without preparing detailed project report, lack of inter-bodies coordination, lack of construction capacity, weak monitoring and assessment are reasons behind increase in time and cost of national pride projects.

As per the report, cost and time of 10 different projects under 24 national pride projects have increased.

The physical progress of Railway and Metro Development project, the construction of which was started in the fiscal year 2066/67 BS, is nil. The report reads that although Rs 24.47 billion has been spent in the project so far, the physical progress was nil.

The project has to be completed within fiscal year 2078/79 BS. The government has estimated Rs 555.22 billion for the construction of the project.

Similarly, the physical progress of Karnali corridor is only 28 percent. More than Rs 11.30 billion has been spent so far in the project that started from fiscal year 2065/66 BS. It has to be completed within fiscal year 2079/80 BS.

Likewise, Koshi corridor, started from fiscal year 2065/66 BS, has only 24 percent physical progress. A total of Rs 30.58 billion has been spent so far for the project, which has to be completed within fiscal year 2080/81.

The report mentioned that progress of projects like Mahakali irrigation project, North South Kaligandaki project, Budhigandaki hydropower project, Sunkoshi Marin Diversion project, President Chure Tarai-Madhes Conservation Development Committee and Kathmandu Tarai-Madhes fast track is low.

The physical progress of Mid-Hill highway is 57.84 percent so far. A target has been set to complete the project, started from 2064/65 BS, within 2079/80 BS. Out of Rs 84.33 billion allocated by the government for the project, Rs 53.34 billion has been spent so far.