By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Vexed by the interminable delay, the State Government on Thursday decided to take possession of the Meghalaya House in Kolkata from the builder.
The State Cabinet also decided to enter into a supplementary agreement with the Asian Housing Construction Limited (AHCL) which is implementing the project after paying the remaining amount of the dues to the company.
The jinxed project has been marred by series of delays which has led to escalation of the cost from the initial estimated budget of Rs 22 crore to Rs 49.2 crore.
The State Government has already paid Rs 25 crore to the company while the remaining amount would be cleared soon, General Administration Department (GAD) Minister AL Hek said.
Following the cost escalation, the State Government was compelled to constitute an independent technical committee to screen the revised estimated budget of Kolkata Meghalaya House project has finally justified the escalation.
Hek also said that the project is ninety per cent completed while the remaining work would be over within a month or two.
The Minister also informed that the State Government will get revenue of Rs 25-30 lakh from the commercial block in the building each month.
According to the memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed between the State Government and the Asian Housing Construction Limited, the project which was launched in July 2005 was to have been completed in two years.
“We have wasted four years in utilizing the commercial blocks and now we don’t want to delay any more,” Hek said.