KATHMANDU — Nearly five months after Nepal’s Supreme Court struck down a law allowing infrastructure development inside protected areas, the government continues to push for such projects as the court delays releasing the full text of the ruling. The government has taken this opportunity to push through controversial projects such as the proposed 81-kilometer (50.3-mile) […]
  • Nepal’s Supreme Court struck down a 2024 law permitting infrastructure in protected areas in January 2025, but the government continues to approve such projects as the full ruling remains unpublished.
  • Despite the ruling, the government approved the 57.6 billion rupee ($416 million), 81-kilometer (50.3-mile) Muktinath cable car touted as the world’s longest line, which will pass through the Annapurna Conservation Area, raising concerns about environmental and cultural impacts.
  • The government has also signaled interest in opening up protected areas to private investment, including commercial extraction of timber, gravel and stones.

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