SHILLONG: Though Transport Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar claimed that the Rs 48-crore Inter-State Bus Terminus will be completed by March next year, a visit to the area at Mawlai Mawiong revealed that it will take more than one year for its completion.
After talking to workers who were engaged in welding, it was known that there was no urgency to complete the project funded by NEC on 90:10 pattern.
The masons were not found in the building though many works involving masonry were left unattended.
There was no supervisor or engineer to monitor the work and fix accountability for the delay though civil construction and electrical works were taken up simultaneously.
The main structure that has three floors is ready but the roof of the bus shed is yet to be completed as the welding works for this were still on.
Works were still left in the administrative section and restrooms.
Besides, more works are in store before completing the approach road.
In the September session of the Assembly, the minister had highlighted the hurdles which were slowing down the ISBT project after the issue was raised by Congress MLA PT Sawkmie. According to the government, the hurdles included the issues related to migrant workers, delay in release of funds by NEC and also the problems related to the structural drawing of building by the consultant and issue related to the approach road.
The work is also facing hurdle since the width of the available land for the approach road is 12 meters but the proposed width required at the entrance to ISBT as per design is 45 meters.
The government will have to get additional land for this purpose.
The minister had admitted that the progress of the work was only 62 percent.
With the existing hurdles, the contractor had asked for extension of time till March 2019.
Dhar had said the project was approved by the Ministry of DoNER for Rs 48.31 crore in 2013 and the area of land was about 53,041.74 square meters. The deadline given for completion of the project by the NEC was October 2017.
However, the actual work began only on September 4, 2014, since the DPR was not made available to the implementing agency in time, which further delayed floating of NIT.
The amount yet to be sanctioned by NEC is over Rs 7 crore.
Till date, Rs 23,27,99,111 was utilised by the PWD.
The ISBT was planned to cater to the needs of passengers coming from other parts of Northeast and passing through the city of Shillong.
