Kathmandu. At a time when the government has been reiterating its commitment to organize an investment summit to attract domestic and foreign investment, to present the private sector as a partner in the economy and to create an investment-friendly environment, the controversy related to the Chhaya Complex in Thamel has raised serious questions on the security of private investment in Nepal ।

At a time when the country is grappling with the problem of economic recession, lack of investment and youth migration, the entrepreneurs say that the project constructed by completing the legal process of the state has become the center of controversy, social media campaign and legal hassles for years, which has increased the sense of insecurity in the private sector. According to them, although the government has been giving the slogan of investment-friendly environment, in practice, investors are constantly facing mental pressure and uncertainty.

According to the construction side of the Shadow Complex, all the legal processes including the approval of the map from the Kathmandu Metropolitan City, the environmental impact assessment, the planning, the permit and were completed to proceed with the project.It has also been claimed that the construction has been started only after the public hearing at the local level and the approval of the concerned bodies.

But as construction began, the project became the target of courts, social media and various campaigns.According to businessmen, if a project approved by the state is mired in controversy for decades, the question will naturally arise as to who will dare to make a big investment in the future.

According to them, such a trend will not only affect the shadow complex but also the overall investment climate of Nepal.They argue that the trust in Nepal may be weakened when international investors see that even legally approved projects have been dragged into controversy for a long time.

Entrepreneurs involved in the Shadow Complex say, “We completed the process approved by the state, paid taxes , created jobs , contributed to tourism .” But at the end of the day, we are being treated like criminals. ’

According to them, if such a message goes to the investors, it will be difficult to restore the confidence of the private sector no matter how many investment summits the government held.