BHAIRAHAWA, April 24 -- Construction work on Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa has hit a snag with local authorities demanding a higher price for riverbed materials. The country's national pride project was on track for year-end completion, but after Butwal Sub-Metropolitan City refused to provide gravel and sand at the old rate, the scheme could be looking at time and cost overruns.

Project officials said that if the sub-metropolitan city sticks to its stance to charge for riverbed materials at current market rates, construction would be halted from next week. The sub-metropolitan city had signed an agreement with the project to provide 17,228 cubic metres of riverbed materials, but it prevented the project from extracti...