Press Release

In a bold move to tackle persistent issues of poor performance in public works, Nepal’s Public Procurement Monitoring Office has blacklisted nine construction companies, barring them from bidding on government contracts for up to three years. The firms, which were involved in projects ranging from school buildings to rural roads, faced complaints of chronic delays, use of substandard materials, and failure to meet contractual obligations. For instance, one company botched a highway expansion in Dhading, leaving potholes and uneven surfaces that locals dubbed “a road to nowhere.” Another was linked to a collapsed retaining wall in a flood-prone area, endangering nearby homes. The blacklist, effective as of early March 2025, is seen as a step toward enforcing accountability in Nepal’s construction boom, fueled by infrastructure demands. However, industry insiders warn that without systemic reforms—like better vetting of contractors and real-time project monitoring—the blacklist may only scratch the surface of deeper corruption and incompetence plaguing the sector. Affected communities hope this signals a turning point for quality control.