Systemic Failures to Blame for Slow Infrastructure Growth, Says Congress Chair Thapa

Kathmandu — Nepali Congress Chair Gagan Kumar Thapa has said that the slow pace of infrastructure development in Nepal is not due to superficial causes but primarily rooted in systemic problems.

Issuing a video message on social media today, Thapa criticized the traditional approach to development — such as issuing orders, intimidating contractors, or scolding staff — as ineffective and insufficient for achieving rapid progress. He outlined a clear plan to transform the infrastructure sector over the next five years.

Highlighting the stalled condition of national priority projects like the Narayangadh–Butwal road section, the East–West Highway, and the Melamchi Water Supply Project, Thapa concluded that the conventional style of undertaking development work has become obsolete. He described the situation in which major projects remain unfinished for years and city roads are repeatedly dug up due to lack of coordination as a “development malaise.”

Thapa noted that repeated cycles of road paving followed immediately by digging for water pipes, drains, and underground cables not only increase costs but cause the country to lose valuable opportunities.

Having spent long periods in Parliament, parliamentary committees, and ministries, Thapa said he has observed infrastructure development issues firsthand.

“We may get applause now and then by intimidating contractors or giving directions at project sites, but that doesn’t solve the problem,” he said. “We cannot treat symptoms — we must address the root cause.”

Outdated Laws, Flawed Frameworks

Thapa attributed major delays in infrastructure work to outdated legal frameworks. He argued that the 48-year-old Roads Act and the 20-year-old Public Procurement Act no longer meet current requirements.

His studies, he said, reveal that about three dozen laws need to be amended, revised, or repealed to complete infrastructure projects on time. “No matter how much noise is made without legal reform, you won’t get results,” he added.

He pointed to irregularities beginning at the very stage of project selection and stressed the need to end political influence and pressure in choosing initiatives. Thapa proposed making cost–benefit analysis mandatory in project selection and legally ensuring no one can misuse discretionary power.

Valuing Time, Not Just Low Bids

According to Thapa, prioritizing only the lowest bid in public procurement has cost both quality and time. He proposed that ‘time value of money’ should be given priority, and that practices from countries like India — where faster work is rewarded — should be used to shape legal reforms.

He also called for mandatory transparency and social audits to maintain good governance in infrastructure, and for strengthening regulatory bodies without hindering their ability to act.

Thapa further said the habit of announcing large projects without securing adequate resources must end. He suggested raising investment for infrastructure using new financial instruments such as monetization of public assets and hybrid annuity models.

Commitment to Transformation in Five Years

Rejecting the notion that scolding or threatening contractors could solve problems, Thapa said only institutional capacity building and legal reform will deliver results.

“If we keep hoping for miraculous solutions like magic, another five years will go wasted. I want to assure people that we will bring transformational change in the infrastructure sector within these five years,” he said.

He pledged to establish systems that complete projects normally taking 10–12 years within one or two years and deliver quality work, and affirmed that the Nepali Congress will play a leading role in ending the hardships citizens currently endure.