Government Implements New Regulations for Building Construction Quality and Safety

Kathmandu. The government has implemented new rules to systematize and improve the quality of building construction and to minimize potential structural risks. The Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration has directed all rural municipalities and municipalities across the country through a circular to ensure that the technician who approves the map of a house or building and the one who issues the completion certificate are not the same person.

The Local Level Coordination Branch of the Ministry sent a letter to all local levels on Jestha 4, 2083, directing the implementation of the decision of the Ministry of Urban Development. The Ministry informed through its website on Asar 2 that this circular was issued based on the letter and ministerial-level decision of the Ministry of Urban Development dated Jestha 23, 2083.

The 19th meeting of the 'Building Construction Management Strengthening Committee' formed under Section 3 of the Building Act, 2055, had made various decisions to improve the anomalies seen in the building construction sector.

According to the committee's conclusion, in some local levels, technicians have been found to prepare or have maps prepared through their own or their subordinate engineering consultancies, inspect the site themselves, and certify the completion certificate themselves. This has led to a decline in construction quality and an increased possibility of structurally risky buildings being constructed. Therefore, it has been requested to make necessary arrangements so that the same person cannot approve the map and issue the completion certificate.

The circular has directed all local levels to compulsorily implement the National Building Code. Furthermore, local levels have been cautioned to immediately stop the archival work being done with the objective of legitimizing buildings constructed against standards or unsafely.