Unprecedented delay in Nongstoin jail project

SHILLONG: In an instance of unprecedentedly delay, the Nongstoin District Jail, which was conceived more than a decade ago, is yet to come up.
An official said work on the project stopped in 2014 following non-approval of the revised cost estimate.
The Government had earmarked Rs 6.25 crore on December 20, 2003, for the construction of the jail on 10.35 acres of land. However, the assistant executive engineer (PWD) had submitted a revised proposal of Rs 20 crore to the Home (Jails) Department, which is yet to be approved.
The work was finally stopped in 2014 even though construction was almost complete.
It was learnt that the Department was also sceptical about the location of the jail, which is in a valley and the movement of prisoners can be visible from the hillocks surrounding it. But the Department has not thought about an alternative.
Many NGOs in West Khasi Hills in the past few years have submitted their memorandum demanding the government to complete construction works within the scheduled deadline.
The delay in the completion of the Nongstoin district jail led to overcrowding of the Shillong District Jail as under trial prisoners as well as convicts from West Khasi Hills had to be accommodated here due to lack of space.