Nepal, April 10 -- The construction of a multistory Parliament building that began over five years ago at best progresses at a snail's pace despite extension of the project deadline for as many as four times.

The irony is that the building in question is located just beside the ostensible Office of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers (OPMCM) within the Singh Durbar premises, also home to 20 or so ministries and the National Planning Commission.

The construction began in the year 2019.

The tricky situation is such: The law of the land does not allow a fifth extension of the deadline and the "senior officials" at the Ministry of Urban Development said they did not know the next steps. The fourth extension covering a period o...