Parliament Building Misses Sixth Completion Deadline as Government Plans Seventh Extension

Nepal's long-awaited Federal Parliament Building at Singha Durbar has reached 96 percent physical completion, but the project has once again failed to meet its construction deadline. With the sixth extension already expired, the government is now preparing to grant a seventh extension under the recently amended Public Procurement Regulations to complete the remaining work.

According to Roshan Shrestha, Deputy Director General and spokesperson of the Department of Urban Development and Building Construction, the latest 90-day extension has already expired. Since the contract cannot legally continue without a valid deadline, officials have begun the process of extending the contract once again under the 15th amendment to the Public Procurement Regulations.

"The deadline extension is legally necessary to keep the contract active," Shrestha said, adding that the new amendment allows the government to extend ongoing construction contracts that remain incomplete.

House of Representatives Hall Ready for Use

The most significant part of the new Parliament complex, the House of Representatives chamber, has already been completed and is technically ready to host parliamentary meetings.

Officials said all major systems have been installed and successfully tested. These include cameras, audio and video conferencing equipment, microphones, digital voting infrastructure, and live broadcasting systems.

According to the project office, Parliament Secretariat officials could begin conducting House meetings from the new chamber whenever they decide, even if other parts of the complex are still under construction.

Shrestha said the chamber is fully operational from a technical standpoint and no major work remains inside the hall.

National Assembly Chamber Nearing Completion

While the lower house chamber is complete, work continues inside the National Assembly hall.

The false ceiling installation, which consists of four layers, is currently in its final stage. Once this work is completed, contractors will begin wall panelling, acoustic treatment, and installation of the chamber's conferencing system.

Officials expect these remaining interior works to move quickly once the ceiling work is finished.

Final Finishing Works Continue Across the Complex

Construction teams are currently focused on finishing works throughout the Parliament complex.

Security systems are being tested, while fire safety equipment and the building's central HVAC air conditioning system are undergoing testing and commissioning.

Workers are also installing CCTV cameras and completing the main server infrastructure required for integrated security management.

Furniture installation has already begun inside the Federal Parliament Secretariat building, while offices allocated for parliamentary parties have also been completed.

Meanwhile, the VVIP block is receiving final touch-up work along with furniture installation.

Officials say only around four percent of construction work remains, most of which involves finishing, decoration, equipment integration, and technical testing.

Project Cost and Contract History

The Parliament Building project was awarded to Tundi SEC JV on October 3, 2019 (16 Ashwin 2076 BS) for a contract value of Rs 5.67 billion.

The original agreement required construction to be completed within three years, setting the deadline for October 2022.

However, the project has faced repeated delays over the years.

The first extension was granted after contractors cited disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Since then, the project has received multiple deadline extensions as construction continued beyond its original schedule.

After the fifth extension expired, work continued for some time without an official deadline before the government approved another 90-day extension earlier this year. That extension also expired in Jestha, leaving the project once again without a valid completion period.

Officials say the contractor has already requested additional time, and the department is currently reviewing the application before approving the seventh extension.

Earlier Warning on Delays

During an inspection of the project on June 15, Speaker DP Aryal warned that further construction delays could result in penalties of up to Rs 10 million per day.

Despite that warning, officials confirmed that no financial penalty has been imposed on the contractor. Instead, authorities are proceeding with another extension under the revised procurement rules.

A Modern Permanent Home for Nepal's Parliament

The new Parliament complex consists of 12 separate blocks and is expected to become Nepal's permanent parliamentary headquarters once fully completed.

Since the fire that destroyed the International Convention Centre in Baneshwor during the September 2025 protests, Parliament has been relying on alternative arrangements for legislative sessions.

Officials from the Department of Building Construction have stated that the damaged convention centre cannot be restored through retrofitting. A final government decision on whether to demolish or preserve the building is still pending.

Once the remaining work is completed, Nepal's Federal Parliament will finally move into its purpose-built modern complex equipped with advanced technology, improved security systems, dedicated parliamentary offices, and upgraded meeting facilities.

Although construction has entered its final phase, the exact completion date will now depend on the approval of the proposed seventh extension and the pace of the remaining finishing works.