Pressure groups smell scam in ISBT project

SHILLONG, May 15: Pressure groups including the HNYF and the KSU are smelling a potential scam in the
Rs 48-crore inter-state bus terminus (ISBT) at Mawlai Mawiong which has begun to show signs of wear and tear just six months after it began operations.
The Hynniewtrep National Youth Front (HYNF) on Sunday said the inferior quality of construction work is a result of a “large-scale corruption”.
HNYF president, Sadon K Blah blamed the sub-par quality of construction on the contractors, architects and officials involved with the crucial project.
“It is not acceptable that the ceiling would leak or cracks would appear on the walls within less than year of the project being inaugurated. We suspect corruption behind the shoddy construction work,” Blah said, adding that members of the HNYF East Khasi Hills will inspect the ISBT in the coming days and take appropriate action.
Echoing Blah, KSU’s Lambokstar Marngar said the Transport department should find out the reasons behind the cracked walls and leaked ceilings of the ISBT.
“Action is necessary against people who were involved in the shoddy construction work,” Marngar said.
He demanded that the Transport department along with experts should conduct a detailed inquiry to find out the actual reasons behind the wear and tear since a building which has recently been inaugurated cannot just get damaged because of rainfall.
Marngar also asked the department to take steps for immediate repair of the damaged parts of the terminus to prevent any further damage.
It may be mentioned that just six weeks after it became functional, heavy rains exposed the sub-standard construction of the terminus.
Videos and pictures of cracked walls and leaked ceilings went viral on social media on Friday, raising questions about the quality of the work executed.
The project, which was taken up by the state PWD (National Highway Division), was handed over to the Transport department following its inauguration on July 24 last year by Union Home Minister, Amit Shah.