Rs 50 crore to be released for development works
SHILLONG: The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) has proposed the construction of its new building at a plot in Mawlai Mawroh with an estimated cost of over Rs 141 crore.
The plan is to house all the three wings-legislative, executive and judiciary in the new area.
The KHADC deputy chief executive member, in charge of Finance, Pyniaid Syiem, who is camping in Delhi, said on phone on Sunday that he met Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, G. Kishan Reddy and submitted a proposal appealing for financial assistance for the construction of the building.
Syiem said the KHADC’s financial position is not healthy.
In the letter to Reddy, Syiem said the present office building is congested leaving no space for expansion and expressed a desire to shift the entire Council building as well as the MDCs’ hostel to the new site in Mawlai Mawroh.
The new office premises will have facilities such as office blocks, courts, staff quarters, MDCs’ hostel, guest house, convention center and others.
He said the move to shift the office is due to perennial traffic snarl in Garikhana.
The total area of the current office premises at Garikhana is 2 acres accommodating around 800 employees, including Executive Members, other MDCs, officers and judges.
Syiem also pointed out that there is a shortage of parking space within the KHADC premises.
“Since the area is small, there is no space for expansion and the office building has become very congested”, Syiem said.
He said the central minister entrusted the matter to the Joint Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs.
Syiem also said he followed up with the Centre on the pending amount of Rs 50 crore for the development works under KHADC for 2019-20.
Syiem said he met a senior official of the union finance ministry and stressed on the need to release the money so that this can be used for development works.
“The ministry has agreed to release the amount and I am also thankful to the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister for pursuing the matter with Delhi”, he said.