By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The General Administration Department (GAD) Convention Centre at Bishop Cotton Road in the city is another Hotel Crowborough in the making in terms of stalled projects in the state. This has come to light following a RTI query filed by this scribe with the General Administration Department (GAD).
The RTI reply reveals that a city based firm M/s Dhar Brothers Construction Co. Pvt. Ltd was awarded the construction work of the Convention Centre on February 27, 2006. A 24- month timeframe was fixed for completion of the work.
As per the agreement between the private developer and the state government, the nature of work involves construction of a convention centre building on the premises of Hotel Pinewood which includes civil works consisting of sanitary, water supply, site development, approach road, internal electrification and fire alarm system.
The tendered cost of the project at the time of award was Rs15,47,00,000 with an earnest money deposit of Rs30,94,000 besides security deposit of 10 per cent.
But with the delay in the completion of the project, the construction cost has escalated to Rs23,21,23,000.
“The same is still not yet been sanctioned as it is still lying with the referral department,” said D Lyngdoh, Under Secretary, GAD, in her reply.
The completion time was further extended to 36 months. But the project has gone well beyond the extension of time and is presently running into the sixth year from the date of award of the contact to the developer.
The project, as learnt from the RTI, is partly funded by the Union Government under ACA (Additional Central Assistance) and partly by the State Government. The Convention Centre is designed to have 3 conference halls, 1 convention hall, 29 rooms, restaurant besides parking space for vehicles.
Located in the heart of the city opposite Sri Aurobindo Institute of Indian Culture, the purpose of construction the convention centre is to cater to the requirement of holding a large number of state level, regional level and international meetings and conferences in Shillong.
The Convention Centre would be equipped to facilitate the holding of such gatherings besides would also promote tourism by facilitating the holding of meeting, interactions, conferences and entertainment programmes at the centre conveniently.When tenders were called four bidders had vied for the project. The present physical progress of the works, according to the RTI reply, is 90%. However, further extension of time is required towards completion of the project.