Nepal’s pride projects dogged by delays and repeated extensions
Summary
Several of Nepal's major infrastructure projects have faced years of delays and cost overruns, with key irrigation and highway projects still incomplete decades after their start. Repeated extensions, budget issues, land disputes, and cross-border water-sharing problems are cited as causes.
Key Points
- Many of Nepal's large-scale irrigation and road projects have faced decades of delays despite repeated deadline extensions.
- Costs of these national pride projects have increased several times from their original estimates, with billions of rupees already spent.
- Key obstacles include inadequate budgets, land acquisition disputes, bureaucratic bottlenecks, and cross-border water-sharing issues.
- Projects such as the Babai Irrigation Project, Sikta Irrigation Project, and Mid-Hill Highway have all seen significant progress delays and budget increases.
