Gautam Buddha Cricket Stadium Faces Delays, Missing January Deadline

Construction of the Gautam Buddha International Cricket Stadium in Bharatpur, Chitwan, has fallen significantly behind schedule, making it unlikely that the project will meet its January 11, 2027, completion deadline. According to reports from Onlinekhabar, Bizmandu, and their English-language counterparts, the project has reached only 65 percent completion as of late October 2026.

Causes for Delay

Officials and contractors have cited a combination of financial and technical hurdles for the sluggish progress. Bharatpur Metropolitan City engineer Adarsh Pokhrel stated that delays in the release of budget allocations from the Bagmati provincial government forced the construction company, Himalayan–Kalinchowk BBR JV, to halt work periodically.

Samrat Silwal, the manager for the construction firm, pointed to additional complications, including rising costs for building materials, unpredictable weather patterns, and the technical challenges of retrofitting the stadium onto existing structures. Silwal noted that these legacy structural issues have led to conflicting technical requirements, further slowing the pace of development.

Project Status and Future Outlook

Despite these setbacks, the project has seen a recent increase in scope. On October 14 (Asoj 28), the first variation order for the project was approved, raising the total contract value from Rs 785.09 million to Rs 862.48 million. Divisional engineer Santosh Acharya explained that while the parapets are nearing completion—with two finished and the others at 90 and 70 percent progress—the playing field remains the primary focus. The remaining work involves installing a complex drainage and piping system under four layers of soil, followed by the planting of 'Baruna' grass.

Currently, about 80 workers are active on the site daily, with work continuing through the Dashain holiday period. Bharatpur Metropolitan City Acting Mayor Chitrasen Adhikari emphasized that the city is committed to facilitating the project, noting that the administration has urged the contractor to accelerate efforts to meet the growing demand for international-standard cricket facilities in Chitwan, particularly given the rise of the Nepal Premier League (NPL).

In a broader context, the Ministry of Infrastructure Development recently announced plans to construct cricket stadiums with floodlights and a minimum capacity of 8,000 spectators in eight major cities across Nepal. Minister Sunil Lamsal stated that these projects are intended to be completed within three years to support the 'home and away' format for the NPL, aiming to expand the reach of the sport nationwide.