KATHMANDU: The long-awaited installation of floodlights and infrastructure improvements at Tribhuvan University (TU) Cricket Ground in Kirtipur, continues to be delayed, despite multiple efforts by the government to push the project forward.
The ground, which meets international standards, is currently hosting all matches of the ongoing Nepal Premier League (NPL) and is the primary venue for Nepal’s international cricket matches. However, overcrowding and inadequate facilities have become a persistent issue for spectators.
The TU Cricket Ground has been in use for international matches since 1998, but infrastructure development has remained stagnant.
The ongoing construction of Mulpani Cricket Stadium and Gautam Buddha Cricket Stadium has not eased the pressure on the Kirtipur ground. Spectators continue to climb trees and sit on grassy lawns as they watch the matches, while floodlights and parapet construction at the ground have been in progress for over three years without completion.
The delay became evident when then Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal faced loud protests from the crowd during a Nepal-UAE match in April 2023. Fans chanting “We want a stadium!” greeted him, voicing their frustration over the lack of infrastructure development at the venue.
In response, Dahal directed the National Sports Council (NSC) to speed up the installation of floodlights and the construction of parapets. However, the instructions were not implemented during his tenure.
After Dahal left office, the process to move forward with the infrastructure development stalled further. The National Sports Council invited a series of tenders for the construction of floodlights and parapets, but all three previous tenders were canceled.
The first tender, issued in May 2023, was disqualified after no companies passed the evaluation. The second tender in the same year was embroiled in legal disputes, while the third tender in 2024 also resulted in no successful bids.
The government finally issued a fourth tender on Friday, with an estimated cost of Rs 16.2 million for the parapets and Rs 17.3 million for the floodlights. Bids will be opened on January 19, 2025, and the government has promised that the project will be completed within the stipulated timeline.
However, with repeated delays and cancellations, skepticism remains regarding the timely completion of the project.
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, who took office after Dahal, has been vocal about his commitment to completing the infrastructure project.
In his first cabinet meeting, Oli emphasized the importance of the TU Cricket Ground for Nepal’s cricketing future, describing it as “the lifeblood of our youth and society.”
He also acknowledged the delays but promised that the construction would proceed swiftly once the tender process is finalized.
Despite this, doubts persist as the project has faced significant hurdles, including a budget of Rs 100 million allocated for floodlights in 2022-23, which was later returned, and a subsequent Rs 200 million budget in 2024-25.
With the fourth tender now underway, it remains to be seen whether the government can meet its promise to equip the TU Cricket Ground with the much-needed infrastructure in time for future international matches.
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