Uncertainty Looms Over Parliament Session Location as Old Venue is Unusable and New Building Faces Delays

Kathmandu. Following the success of the second People's Movement in Nepal, elections for a 601-member Constituent Assembly were held in 2064 BS. The hall within Singha Durbar was not large enough to accommodate such a large number of directly elected representatives.

As an alternative, the government rented the International Convention Centre in New Baneshwor, constructed with Chinese assistance. That building became a witness to Nepal's republican history.

The declaration to abolish the monarchy was made from there. The sessions of the Constituent Assembly were conducted from there. Nepal's new constitution was promulgated from that very building on Ashoj 3, 2072 BS.

Even after the promulgation of the constitution, the meetings of the Federal Parliament's House of Representatives and the National Assembly continued to be held in the same building. That building, which served as the center of parliamentary practice for nearly two decades, became the target of the 'Genji' agitation on Bhadra 23 and 34 last year. Now, the building is in a state where it cannot be used as a parliament building again.

The interim government is preparing to hold elections for the House of Representatives on Falgun 21. The date for the House of Representatives election is approaching. However, the Parliament Secretariat is in a state of confusion about where to conduct the next parliamentary session.

The agreement with the Convention Centre, which the Parliament Secretariat has been using as the parliament building by paying an annual rent of about 15 crore rupees, was canceled at the end of last Ashoj. Although the government is constructing a new parliament building within the Singha Durbar complex, some work remains unfinished. Since the construction is incomplete, the question of where the meeting of the new representatives elected on Falgun 21 will be held has become critical.

Currently, the government and the Parliament Secretariat are preparing to conduct the session in the new parliament building under construction inside Singha Durbar. Will the under-construction new building be able to host the parliament session scheduled for Chaitra? Serious discussions are underway regarding whether the practice of the country's highest policy-making level will begin in an incomplete structure.

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However, the government began constructing a modern and well-equipped parliament building inside Singha Durbar as an alternative to the International Convention Centre in New Baneshwor starting in 2076 BS. According to the initial agreement, this building was supposed to be completed and handed over in 2079 BS. However, the construction work was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, scarcity of construction materials, and delays by the contractor company. The deadline for the contract agreement was last extended to hand over the building by 2082 BS.

The goal is to start the parliamentary session in the first week of Chaitra, following the House of Representatives election scheduled for Falgun 21. The Secretariat has written a letter to the Chief Secretary, Suman Raj Aryal, informing him about the infrastructure shortage and requesting timely management. Parliament Secretariat Spokesperson Ekram Giri stated that the Parliament Secretariat has discussed this matter with the government.

According to him, the Secretary-General of the Federal Parliament Secretariat, Padmaprasad Pandey, Secretary Rojnath Pandey, and other employees held discussions with the Minister of Urban Development, Prof. Dr. Kumar Inam. Spokesperson Giri informed that during the discussion, the Urban Development Minister verbally assured that construction work would be expedited to ensure the first session of the upcoming parliament could be held in the new building.

Giri said, "In the discussion with the government, the Minister gave a commitment that there is no alternative now; they will expedite work on the under-construction building in Singha Durbar, even if incomplete, and work towards holding the first session of the upcoming parliament in the new building."

Spokesperson Giri stated that the agreement for the parliament building in Baneshwor has expired, and no other suitable location is immediately available for the new parliament session. He mentioned that venues like the National Auditorium or the Academy of Fine Arts are not deemed suitable from the perspective of parliamentary practice and security, and setting up a new arrangement there would incur additional financial costs, hence the preparation to move to the under-construction building.

Spokesperson Giri added, "There is no guarantee that the new building will be fully ready, but the government has given a verbal assurance that they will manage it somehow. The Secretariat has concluded that moving into the under-construction building is more appropriate than relocating and setting up in another place."

Giri informed that the Secretariat has planned to manage with only six out of the twelve buildings immediately, even if construction continues in the other parts. However, he noted that holding parliamentary sessions in one part while construction is ongoing in another could pose challenges regarding security risks, noise pollution, and the management of basic facilities like water and canteen services.

The Secretariat has already initiated the procurement process for technical works such as interior decoration, audio-video systems, and internet for the new building.

Meanwhile, the Parliament Building Construction Project under the Ministry of Urban Development has stated that work has been accelerated to make the main structures operational for sessions within 45 days. According to Project Chief Roshan Shrestha, the overall physical progress of the building is currently around 90 percent.

He said, "After the upcoming elections, we have no other option but to prepare the building for the new lawmakers to hold their sessions. As per the government's directive, work is underway to complete the House of Representatives, National Assembly, Central Lobby, VIP Block, and external landscaping within 45 days for handover."

Shrestha stated that the work on other structures like committee halls and party parliamentary offices has been temporarily set aside, prioritizing the main halls. It is estimated that after the construction contractor completes the work within 45 days, the Secretariat will require an additional 10-15 days to manage its internal arrangements.

• 88 Percent Work and 45-Day Deadline

The Special Building Project is responsible for the construction of the parliament building, and the contract was awarded to Tundi-Sech JV. The physical progress reported so far is approximately 88 to 90 percent. The civil structure work for both the House of Representatives and the National Assembly main halls has been completed.

Among the 12 buildings, six essential ones for immediate session operation (House of Representatives Hall, National Assembly Hall, Central Lobby, VIP Block, and Security Personnel Building) are planned for handover before Chaitra 1.

According to Project Chief Shrestha, the main structures will be made ready for sessions within the next 45 days, but the remaining 10-12 percent work involves finishing touches, interior decoration, and the installation of security systems.

This parliament building, being constructed in the Putali Bagaincha area of Singha Durbar, spans an area of 151 ropanis. Its design and facilities are international standard. The new building's House of Representatives hall has a capacity of 700 seats. The main assembly hall will accommodate 400 lawmakers, and the balcony will seat 300 people (press, observers, and guests).

Similarly, the National Assembly hall has a total capacity for 59 members, with space for 290 people in the balcony. A joint lobby with a capacity of 350 seats has been designed. Arrangements for parliamentary party offices and meeting rooms are available for ten political parties, both large and small.

The building features separate and modern offices for the President, Prime Minister, Speaker, and Chairman of the National Assembly. Preparations are underway for a basement capable of parking 700 vehicles, a modern library, a canteen, and a press building.

• Contractor's Commitment and Challenges

The contractor company, Tundi-Sech JV, was supposed to complete the work by Poush 16 last year, but to compensate for the current delays, they are now working 24 hours a day.

According to Parliament Secretariat Spokesperson Giri, Minister Inam of Urban Development informed the Secretariat during discussions that a written commitment has been received from the construction company to hand over the building ready for operation by Chaitra 1. He added that the government has also given a verbal commitment to hand over the building to the Secretariat on time, based on the construction company's commitment.

As the new lawmakers take their oath in the new building in Singha Durbar next Chaitra, it will not just be an inauguration of a building, but the beginning of a new parliamentary journey started amidst scarcity and pressure. The countdown for the next 45 days has begun for the government and the Parliament Secretariat. Whether the government can fulfill this incomplete but essential dream on time remains to be seen.