Kathmandu: Restoration work on the historic Gallery Hall building in Kathmandu, badly damaged in the 2015 earthquake, is unlikely to be completed by its scheduled deadline, officials say.

The project, overseen by the Special Building Construction Project Implementation Office under the Ministry of Urban Development, was awarded to Prera Nirman Sewa Pvt Ltd with a completion target of November 2025. The retrofitting and restoration budget was set at around Rs 390 million.

The Gallery Hall, long unused after sustaining earthquake damage, had for years functioned as a storage space for obsolete government equipment. More recently, the National Assembly’s Delegated Management and Government Assurance Committee instructed authorities to preserve the structure, citing its artistic, cultural and historical value.

Also known as Aina Bhawan, the building was constructed by Rana Prime Minister Chandra Shumsher as a private theatre adjacent to Singha Durbar. Renowned for its elaborate mirrors and ornate interior design, it once hosted royal banquets, cultural performances and receptions for foreign dignitaries.

After the restoration of democracy, the hall became a venue for meetings of the Advisory Assembly and later emerged as a landmark in Nepal’s parliamentary history. It hosted some of the country’s earliest parliamentary sessions, including the first meetings of the National Panchayat.

The site also played a significant role during the transitional period after the 2006 peace process, housing sessions of the Interim Legislature-Parliament, including meetings attended by members of the former Maoist rebel party.

As Nepal’s legislatures expanded, parliamentary proceedings were later moved to the Birendra International Convention Centre. That building was recently destroyed during protests linked to the so-called Gen-Z movement. A new federal parliament building is now nearing completion within the Singha Durbar complex.

Despite repeated calls from lawmakers and heritage advocates to develop the Gallery Hall into a Parliamentary Museum, the government is considering alternative uses for the site, including converting it into a state guesthouse, banquet facility or seminar hall.