SHILLONG: The State Government is optimistic that the session of the of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly will take place in the new Assembly building in three years time from now.
The High Powered Committee which met here on Friday decided to re-tender the new Assembly building project at Mawdiandiang with two new added conditions
Speaking to media persons chairman of the High Powered Committee and Speaker of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, Donkupar Roy said that under the new condition, the bidder would apply for the tender must have the experience of completing similar projects like the Raj Bhawan, Chief Minister’s residence or other Government institutes.
In addition, the Committee has also decided to raise the security deposit three times higher for the bidders
According to Roy, the security deposit has been increased three times to discourage bidders from quoting lower rate, adding that the lower rates may affect the quality of the building
He said that PWD has been entrusted with the task of re-tendering the project and the department would issue the tender very soon.
“We are hopeful that the everything will be completed within this tenure and in three years time, the session will take place in the new Assembly building, Roy told reporters.
The allocated budget for the new Assembly building is Rs 140 crores
It may be mentioned that Meghalaya is awaiting the new Assembly building since last 17 years after the 125-year-old Burmese teak Meghalaya Legislative Assembly building at Khyndailad was reduced to ashes in a devastating fire
The High Powered Committee (HPC) of the Meghalaya Assembly last year under the previous Government was forced to scrap the tender for construction of the new Assembly building as one of the bidders quoted a rate too low and over 15 per cent lower than the bid value.
Earlier, PWD had opened the price bid after three firms – Simplex Infrastructure Pvt ltd, Gautam construction Pvt ltd and Shapoorji Pallonji Co & Ltd – qualified in the technical bidding.
The bid value was Rs 105 crore and Gautam Constructions quoted 15.01 per cent less than the bid value whereas Shapoorji Pallonji Co & Ltd quoted 29.92 per cent more than bid value and even Simplex Infrastructure quoted 21.90 per cent more of the bid value.
The PWD department had asked the lowest bidding firm to justify its quoted price and after analysing the PWD suggested that the bid value was too low to complete the building considering the cost escalation in the present market and the impact of new taxes.
It may be mentioned that the HPC has already approved the building design and an 80 acre plot was allocated in Mawdiandiang for the project