KIRTIPUR, July 29: The contractor responsible for the construction of the Tribhuvan University (TU) Cricket Ground in Kirtipur has informed that the first phase of work will be completed within a month. This information was provided to the team from the federal parliament’s Committee on Implementation, Monitoring, and Evaluation of Directive Principles, Policies, and Responsibilities of the State, which visited the site on Monday to inspect the progress of the upgrade works, including the installation of parapets and floodlights.
The team led by Committee Chairperson Thakur Gaire was briefed by Urban Development Ministry Secretary Gopal Prasad Sigdel and Joint Secretary Chakrawarti Kantha, who is directly overseeing the project, and the contractor company about the progress of the construction.
According to the officials, around 80 percent of the work, including parapets and floodlights on both sides, has been completed in the first phase. “After the first phase is completed, seating capacity will be expanded to accommodate 10,000 spectators in the first phase and 25,000 in the second. Of the 12 seating blocks to be concreted in the first phase, 10 have already been completed. Seats have been installed in the completed areas, and the remaining 1,700 seats are being imported from India,” said Secretary Sigdel.
Tribhuvan University cricket ground to be built as an internati...
He added that the underground work required for installing six floodlights—meant to enable night matches—has been completed, and three stands for the lights have already arrived from India.
It was also informed that 420 light fixtures for the floodlights are being imported from Europe. The estimated total cost for the construction of the stadium in two phases is Rs 6 billion.
The plan is to complete the first phase and host the second edition of the Nepal Premier League (NPL) at the TU Cricket Ground itself. The parliamentary team was also briefed about the need to address Tribhuvan University’s concerns regarding land ownership. “As the agreement between the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) and the university for operating the ground on lease is set to expire in mid-April next year, we have recommended initiating discussions to address TU’s concerns,” Secretary Sigdel said.
The parliamentary team was welcomed by officials from the Ministry of Sports and CAN Secretary Paras Khadka, among others. The monitoring team included Chairperson Gaire and committee members Tulsha Kumari Dahal, Dilendra Prasad Badu, Dev Prasad Timilsina, Pratima Gautam, Prabhu Hajara, Buddhi Man Tamang, Madan Kumari Shah (Garima), Mohammad Khalid, Las Prasad Sawa Limbu, Shanti Bk, Santosh Pariyar, Saraswati Subba, and Hit Raj Pandey.
Speaking to journalists after the inspection, Committee Chairperson Gaire stated that the work is proceeding as per the commitment made by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on the day he assumed office. He said that since the stadium is of national interest, the committee visited the site to assess the progress and found that, despite adverse weather, the construction is progressing toward completion within a month.
CAN Secretary Paras Khadka said that the TU Cricket Ground holds the dreams of many sports enthusiasts and expressed commitment to completing the work so that the second edition of the NPL can be held under floodlights at the ground. He also mentioned that work to construct similar cricket grounds has begun in other parts of the country.
