Officials delaying projects will also face action: Infrastructure Minister

KATHMANDU: Minister for Infrastructure Development Sunil Lamsal has said government officials responsible for delaying construction projects will also be brought under the scope of disciplinary action.

Responding to lawmakers during discussions on the ministry’s budget in the National Assembly on Tuesday, Lamsal said the government is preparing amendments to the Public Procurement Act to address persistent problems in project implementation.

He said shortcomings in the existing procurement law and the practice of contractors securing projects by quoting unrealistically low bid prices have been identified as major causes of construction delays.

According to the minister, the revised law will not only treat financial irregularities as corruption but will also classify unjustified delays in project implementation as a form of corruption.

Lamsal said the ministry’s objective is not to blacklist contractors or cancel contracts but to ensure that projects are completed on time, even if contractors need to be placed under greater pressure.

He also said that most of the issues affecting the Fast Track project have already been resolved and that the long-standing dispute over the project’s “zero point” alignment is close to being settled.