Systemic Flaws Hindering Infrastructure Development: NC President Thapa

Nepali Congress President Gagan Kumar Thapa on Sunday said systemic problems are the primary reason behind the slow pace of infrastructure development in the country, stressing that ad hoc measures and blame-shifting cannot deliver results.
In a video message shared on social media, Thapa said merely issuing directives, threatening contractors or blaming employees is not a solution. He underlined the need for a well-defined planning model to address structural shortcomings in the sector.
Citing national pride projects such as the Narayangadh–Butwal road, East–West Highway and Melamchi Drinking Water Project, Thapa said delays have exposed deep-rooted coordination failures across institutions. He noted that lack of alignment between parliament, ministries and implementing agencies has left several mega projects stalled.
The NC president called for urgent legal and institutional reforms, pointing out that outdated laws, including the Road Act and Public Procurement Act, have contributed to slow execution. He stressed the importance of cost-benefit analysis, transparency, social auditing and strong oversight to ensure good governance.
Thapa also proposed infrastructure financing reforms, including monetization of public assets and adoption of hybrid annuity models, assuring efforts to transform the sector within the next five years.