With calm returning after the fall of the KP Oli government, Nepal’s state machinery is grappling with the absence of infrastructure. Burnt and damaged buildings have forced key institutions to set up tents and makeshift offices.
Many government offices, including key departments, were damaged or completely burnt during the protests, leaving employees without functional workspaces. “We don’t have proper desks, chairs, or even laptops to complete our assignments,” said one mid-level bureaucrat who requested anonymity. “Even if we are back at work, it’s almost impossible to be productive under these conditions.”
The damage is not limited to physical infrastructure. Vital records, computers, and equipment were destroyed, slowing the resumption of essential services.
The Home Ministry, which was in the process of constructing a new building, has seen its premises taken over by the Prime Minister’s Office. Officials say the home ministry is now scrambling to gather essential equipment and may soon shift to an alternative location. The Supreme Court too, is functioning out of tents as judges and staff attempt to restore judicial work.
For the police, they are also sticking around their offices and locals have started coming out to help clean the spaces. Officers are working wherever facilities are intact, though most offices remain in disarray, with only basic cleaning completed.
A CEO of an NGO real estate, Nepal Govinda, says that the damage is so much that all the things in the burnt buildings have gotten carbonised in most of the places. "So everybody is coming in whichever capacity they can to help around."
Experts warn that while political stability is returning, the lack of functional office infrastructure could slow Nepal’s recovery. “You can have a government in place, but without basic facilities, bureaucratic machinery cannot function effectively,” said a governance analyst based in Kathmandu.
