Karnali Provincial Stadium Stalled at 99% Completion Due to Leadership Vacuum and Payment Dispute

Surkhet. The Karnali Provincial Stadium, once hailed as an exemplary project for the nation, has been stalled with only one percent of work remaining for the past year.

The construction halted after the term of the then Member Secretary, Bishwamitra Sanjyal, ended in Poush 2081 BS. The government showed no urgency in appointing a new Member Secretary following the expiration of his term. Consequently, the stadium, which was 99% complete, has not only been left abandoned but is also deteriorating before even becoming operational.

The contractor company, MAC/GSL JV, has not taken the initiative to complete the remaining one percent of work and hand over the project to the provincial government, citing non-payment for work already completed. Currently, the stadium is deserted, and the buildings, grounds, fields, and swimming pool within the premises are falling into disrepair.

The stadium, spread over nine bighas in the heart of Birendranagar Municipality-8, the provincial capital, was inaugurated by then Chief Minister Jeevan Bahadur Shahi on Mangsir 20, 078 BS. Built at a cost of NPR 1.594747 billion, the stadium has a seating capacity of 10,000 spectators. This structure, built with modern techniques, looks very attractive.

According to Engineer Purushottam Baral, a representative of the contractor company, the delay in work occurred because the payment process could not be advanced due to the absence of a Member Secretary at the Sports Development Council. "If the government had cleared our payment, the work would have been completed long ago," he said. "Since the former Member Secretary left, the stadium has become virtually parentless."

According to him, the provincial government still owes the contractor company approximately NPR 90 million in payment. The contractor company's final deadline had already expired in Mangsir 081 BS. Finishing touches, cleaning, and some painting work remain incomplete in several areas.

Member Secretary Appointed After Nearly 15 Months, Will It Gain Momentum?

The Karnali Province Sports Development Council, which had been held hostage by disagreements between the ruling Nepali Congress and CPN-UML parties over the appointment of the Member Secretary, has finally been fully staffed after nearly 15 months.

The newly appointed Member Secretary, Rabindra Chand (Rabin), assumed office on Tuesday. Sports officials expect that the stadium, which has been stalled for the past year, will gain momentum following his appointment. The primary responsibility of the newly appointed Member Secretary and officials is to complete the structure and make it operational.

However, resolving the issues immediately, such as budget constraints, remains difficult.

Newly appointed Member Secretary Chand stated that he has also heard that 99% of the stadium work is complete, with only one percent remaining. He announced that a committee would be formed within the next week to study the exact status, whether it is precisely one percent or more. As he mentioned, while the contractor company is awaiting a payment of NPR 90 million, suggesting a one percent financial completion gap, there are numerous small tasks remaining inside the stadium that need attention.

Due to being abandoned for a year, some parts have rotted, collapsed, or require renovation.

"We will form a committee, and then we will get an actual data report on the internal condition of the stadium," he said. "Only then will we know what work remains to be done."

He also mentioned that he has not yet had the opportunity to fully study the budget situation.

He added, "I do not currently have full knowledge of our payment status; we will study it, extract the actual figures, and then prepare a plan on how to proceed."

Chand's Plan to Make the Stadium Operational

Chand's main challenge is to complete the stadium construction and make it operational. There is commentary suggesting that if this structure cannot be made operational, it could become a "white elephant" for the provincial government. Chand stated that he plans to work on this issue.

"The stadium has not yet been handed over to the provincial government; only after that happens will we have a plan on how to operate this stadium," he added. He stated that currently, there is no alternative but to run the stadium commercially.

According to him, after the stadium is handed over to the provincial government, revenue is expected to be generated from the shutters around the premises. The government expects that renting out these shutters for commercial purposes will contribute to the province's internal revenue.

Member Secretary Chand, however, noted that the number of shutters is limited.

"In my opinion, there are about 25-26 shutters; they might help a little," he said. "But if we can run it event-wise overall, I believe the stadium can generate good revenue in the future."

According to him, the new team's special focus will be on the stadium's marketing and branding. "The more we can brand it, the more we can connect with international events in the future," he added.
If handed over to the provincial government, organizing more and more events through marketing and branding can be achieved. This, he said, will help the stadium become self-reliant, covering management and staffing costs.

He stated that initially, a detailed data analysis will be conducted, and a report will be prepared for this purpose.