Bharatpur Metropolitan City, Nepal Inaugurates New Administrative Headquarters in Chitwan

Umesh Dhakal

KNA-Canberra

Report from Nepal

Chitwan, Nepal — Bharatpur Metropolitan City on Tuesday inaugurated its new Chief Administrative Building, marking a major infrastructure milestone for one of central Nepal’s fastest-growing urban centres.

The six-storey building was inaugurated by former Prime Minister and Coordinator of the Nepali Communist Party of Nepal , Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda”.

Mayor Renu Dahal said interior work on the ground floor has been completed, enabling the building to begin operations, while finishing work on the upper floors remains ongoing. The project was built at a total cost of NPR 5.33 billion (approximately USD 40 million), funded jointly by Nepal’s federal, provincial and local governments.

The federal government of Nepal contributed NPR 2.15 billion, the Bagmati Provincial Government NPR 1.99 billion, and Bharatpur Metropolitan City NPR 450 million, according to city officials.

Senior Divisional Engineer Santosh Acharya, head of the city’s Urban Infrastructure Development Division, said construction was completed in about two years. Additional land measuring 1 bigha and 15 dhur was secured through an agreement with the Nepal Netra Jyoti Sangh due to space constraints at the original site.

The foundation stone for the building was laid in March 2022. Constructed on seven kattha of land, the facility includes 221 rooms and underground parking for 50 cars and 150 motorcycles. Offices of the mayor and the chief administrative officer are located on the ground floor, while the deputy mayor’s office occupies the second floor.

The complex is equipped with two elevators, five staircases, two large halls with seating capacities of 250 and 350, and eight meeting rooms. It also includes a senior citizens’ waiting area, a library, cultural exhibition spaces, and an auditorium. A cultural museum will be housed on the top floor.

Designed to be fully accessible, the building includes disability-friendly facilities and separate restrooms for men and women on every floor.

Mayor Dahal said the new headquarters would allow municipal services, previously scattered across multiple locations, to be delivered from a single centre. She said the building is expected to serve residents for decades and stand as a symbol of civic pride.

The project was constructed by Sharma–Sagarmatha–Sagun Joint Venture. Company representative Sahadev Khadka said the design incorporates elements of Nepal’s architectural heritage.