LUMBINI: Construction has begun to upgrade the Jabai Stadium in Salghari, Ward No. 13 of Butwal Sub-metropolitan City into an international-standard sports complex named Colonel Ujirsingh Thapa Stadium.
The project honors Colonel Thapa, the Nepali commander renowned for his victory against the British in the Battle of Jitgadhi. Although the stadium’s upgrading began in fiscal year 2019/20, progress was stalled due to issues including forest clearance.
Now, with obstructions cleared, the Lumbini Provincial Government has allocated a budget of Rs 530 million in two phases for the project. In the first phase, the Development Authority has approved a cost estimate of Rs 107.66 million for the current fiscal year (2025/26), and the bidding process has already commenced.
A contract worth Rs 85.23 million (including VAT) has been awarded to Arjun, Mark, Pradeep JV Banasthali Kathmandu. The provincial government has allocated Rs 30 million for the first phase.
According to Engineer Subedi, the project has been transferred from the Ministry of Youth and Sports to the Provincial Infrastructure Development Authority, following a decision by the Lumbini Provincial Council of Ministers.
The stadium complex will include a multi-purpose sports ground, volleyball court, athletic track, aquatic center, swimming pool, cafeteria, parking area, and a children’s park, with a total spectator capacity of around 20,000.
It will feature four main gates, an emergency exit, and a modern parapet that accommodates 12,000–20,000 spectators on all four sides.
Local representative Dhruba Thapa noted that the Butwal Sub-metropolitan City had previously built some structures and organized district- and regional-level sporting events at the Jabai Sports Field. With support from all three levels of government, a well-equipped stadium is now being constructed.
The project had faced delays due to objections from the Forest Office over tree clearance, leading to the freezing of allocated funds. Locals are now relieved and optimistic.
“With the special initiative of Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel, these hurdles have been removed, fulfilling long-standing demands of ex-servicemen, youth, athletes, and the community,” said Gopiram Pun, President of the Ex-Servicemen Jabai Sporting Club.
Pun thanked the government for reviving the long-stalled project but faced multiple setbacks. He expressed confidence that the two-phase construction—backed by a detailed design and solid budget—will now move forward efficiently.
The Forest Administration granted permission to utilize the forest area, opening the way for the stadium and other critical development projects in the region. The Provincial Infrastructure Development Authority has been tasked with executing the project in line with its DPR (Detailed Project Report), and a team led by Bimala Shrestha has been mobilized for on-site coordination.
Deputy Prime Minister Paudel, who represents Rupandehi-2 in the House of Representatives, recently visited the Jabai Stadium site with a technical team. He confirmed that the master plan for the multi-purpose stadium is now moving forward as intended.
Expressing satisfaction that such a major sports facility is being developed in his own constituency, Paudel urged all stakeholders to closely monitor construction and ensure high-quality work.
He emphasized that with forest clearance, budget allocation, project handover, and authority delegation complete, there are no further obstacles. He called on local representatives, civil society, and the public to remain vigilant about construction quality.
Initially, the provincial government had allocated Rs 1 million and the sub-metropolitan city Rs 5 million to begin environmental impact assessment (EIA) work. However, the process was interrupted by objections from the forest sector, which have now been resolved.
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