Preparations underway to revive Hetauda Textile Industry

BAGMATI, June 22: The government has stepped up efforts to revive the long defunct Hetauda Textile Industry, with officials intensifying field inspections and assessments as plans move forward to bring the state-owned factory back into operation.

Located inside the Hetauda Industrial Estate, the textile factory was established in 1975 and began operations in 1978. It has remained closed since 2000. Although several attempts were made over the years to restart the industry, none succeeded.

According to Himalaya Bhandari, information officer at the Hetauda office of Industrial District Management Limited, government agencies have become more active this year as interest in reopening the factory has increased.

“The Hetauda Textile Industry was originally linked with the Butwal Yarn Factory and the cotton production facility in Nepalgunj, Banke, which were launched around the same period,” Bhandari said. “After the textile factory shut down, those industries also ceased operations.”

He said efforts to revive the factory have continued intermittently over the years. According to him, the industry could be brought back into operation relatively quickly, as most of its machinery remains usable after routine repairs.

Bhandari said the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers has taken the lead in advancing the revival plan. Industry, Commerce and Supplies Minister Gauri Kumari Yadav has already conducted an on-site inspection of the facility.

A team led by Hetauda Sub Metropolitan City Mayor Meena Kumari Lama and Makwanpur Chief District Officer has also visited the site to assess its condition.

While responding to lawmakers’ questions on the budget for fiscal year 2026/27 in the House of Representatives, Minister Yadav said the government was preparing to restart the Hetauda Textile Industry within the current fiscal year.

She also stated that among Nepal’s sick and closed industries, the Hetauda Textile Industry would be the first to resume operations. The government is also planning to revive the Butwal Yarn Factory and cotton cultivation projects this year to support the textile industry.

Since the factory’s closure, the premises have been occupied by the Armed Police Force’s No. 14 Battalion since 2018. Before that, only two employees were assigned to guard the facility, and the area had reportedly become a gathering place for drug users. Authorities say the premises are now fully secure.

With renewed government interest, personnel from the Armed Police Force, the Nepal Army, and Nepal Police have jointly carried out a cleanup campaign at the factory site.