By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The State Government has received the completion certificate of the new Meghalaya House building at Kolkata.
“We have received the completion certificate for the new building of the Kolkata Meghalaya House from both the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) and the Asian Housing Construction Limited (AHCL) which is implementing the project,” a senior government official informed here on Monday.
According to the official, the only work which remains to be completed is the sewerage connection from the building to the main sewerage of Kolkata city.
“We have already submitted the proposal for the funds required for the sewerage connection. We would try to get the sanction as soon as possible,” the official said.
The official also informed that the government has already paid the balance amount of Rs 24.9 crore due to the AHCL.
It may be mentioned that the project cost had escalated from the initial estimated budget of Rs 22 crore to Rs 49.2 crore. The State Government had initially paid Rs 25 crore to the AHCL.
Following the cost escalation, the State Government was compelled to constitute an independent technical committee to screen the revised estimated budget of the Kolkata Meghalaya House project, which finally justified the escalation.
The State Government is expected to get revenue of around 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 AHCL, the project which was launched in July 2005 was to have been completed in two years.