SHILLONG: Meghalaya Legislative Assembly Deputy Speaker, Timothy D Shira is optimistic that the long pending dream of Meghalaya to have a new Assembly building will be fulfilled within this term of the MDA Government.
Speaking to media persons here on Thursday, Timothy D Shira informed that the High Powered Committee (HPC) in its last meeting had decided to ask the PWD to examine the possibilities of floating of a fresh tender for the construction of the new Assembly building at Mawdiangdiang.
He said that the PWD would place the matter before the HPC after the whole tendering process of the fresh tender is completed
“After examining the tendering process, the HPC would award the contract to construction the new assembly building to the firm which quoted the lowest rate,” Shira told media persons.
Stating that they have already got Rs 140 crore for initiating the project, he asserted that the incumbent present HPC have decided to endorse the site at Mawdiangdiang for the new Assembly building as decided by the previous Speaker,”
Shira, however, admitted that the project had continued to be delayed due to ‘politics’ as various sites were selected by various Speakers for the construction of the new Assembly building but all such plans never materialized leading to delay of years
He recalled that when he was elected in 2003, the construction of the new assembly building was supposed to be held at the old Assembly building premises in Khyndai Lad.
“But some of the MLAs had reservation over the construction of the Assembly building in the old Assembly. Since then so many sites have been selected. But the people of the State is yet to get a full fledge Assembly building,” the Deputy Speaker added.
Earlier, the High Powered Committee was in the final stages of allotting the project to the bidder but the rate quoted by the various firms to the last tender was not acceptable since the rate quoted by one of the firm was very high while the rate quoted by another firm was very low.