A study needs to be commissioned to by the present Meghalaya Government to find out the reasons behind the incomplete projects in Meghalaya. Projects that are hanging fire are a loss to the exchequer. This loss has to be quantified. This warrants a Call Attention Motion in the State Assembly. Remember that several crores of rupees were invested in each of these projects but they still do not serve a public purpose. The Meghalaya Assembly building was gutted down in January 2001. It is now 2018 and the foundation stone in the new location at the New Shillong Township is yet to be laid. Tenders called for the construction of the new Assembly building were aborted for reasons not very clear to the public. As a result the Assembly is being held in an auditorium meant for promoting arts and culture at Rilbong. During the Assembly session when the MLAs converge there with their security entourage, traffic in Shillong city goes into a tailspin. The traffic jam worsens and sends temperatures and tempers soaring.
But the Assembly building is only one of the projects pending completion. A striking example of a failed project that stands testimony to Government ineptitude, corruption and collusion is the Crowborough Hotel Project whose construction started sometime in 1988. Since then several Governments have come and gone but the Crowborough continues to mock and shame. Now the Umroi airport is under the judicial scrutiny of the Meghalaya High Court and things are moving. Interestingly, even the repair of the old Umsning Road was speeded up due to the Court’s intervention. Two medical colleges conceptualized seven years ago are yet to appear. Another Hotel project which is a joint venture with the State Government which leased out land belonging to Shillong Municipality has now run hit a financial storm and cannot be completed. There will now be debt restructuring and the banks will have to auction the building an NPA right now) to recover their loan from the builder? But what about the land on which the hotel stands, which is revenue land? Was that land the collateral for the loan? Sadly the MOA signed between the builders/hoteliers and the Government are never open to public scrutiny. Then there are several power projects that too are incomplete. Even the proposed Performing Arts Centre is not free of political and bureaucratic interference. Who will hold the Government accountable for locking up crores public funds in incomplete projects? Is it not the role of the Legislature to do so?