Kirtipur, Aug 12: Government agencies have begun collaborating to transform the cricket stadium at Tribhuvan University (TU) campus into an international-level facility.

Tank Ghising, Member Secretary of the National Sports Council, announced that discussions were held on Sunday between the relevant ministries, the University, and National Sports Council representatives to expedite the stadium’s upgrade. The discussion resulted in an agreement to coordinate the necessary political and physical efforts.

On June 13th, the newly formed government made its first decision to upgrade the TU Cricket Ground into an international-standard stadium within 300 days. The decision includes constructing essential structures such as a parapet and floodlights for night games. Ghising mentioned that joint meetings were initiated to coordinate efforts between the Ministries of Education, Finance, and Urban Development to implement the decision.

Plans to install floodlights had been put on hold due to a request for review by the Public Procurement Review Committee, but work will proceed once the committee issues its decision. Although a master plan for constructing the parapet is ready, its implementation will require a significant budget, which is planned to be managed through the Urban Development Ministry.

The land lease agreement between Tribhuvan University and the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) also needs renewal to proceed with stadium renovations. The stadium, leased by CAN for 25 years in 2052, requires TU’s consent for any new structures or renovations.

Prada Kedar Prasad Rizal, TU’s Registrar, stated that the University will base its decisions on correspondence from the Ministry of Education, acknowledging the sensitivity of issues related to land use and rent, which must be decided by the University Assembly.

CAN Secretary and former national captain Paras Khadka expressed optimism about the stadium’s upgrade, noting that the government has prioritized the project under the Prime Minister’s directive. He highlighted the long-felt need for a large-capacity, high-quality stadium in Nepal and welcomed the government’s positive steps toward achieving this goal.