SHILLONG, Sep 16: The High-Powered Committee (HPC) has cleared the resumption of work on the new Assembly building at Mawdiangdiang.
The work with start with a new design of the dome to be ready within three weeks, Assembly Speaker Metbah Lyngdoh said after a meeting on Friday evening.
“The HPC has given the clearance for the resumption of construction work. The new design of the dome will need the approval of the members of the HPC and the technical team after a presentation within three weeks,” he said.
Lyngdoh, who is the chairman of the HPC, said light materials will now be used for the dome in keeping with the suggestion of an Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati (IITG) team that audited the Assembly structure after the collapse of the dome in May.
He said the IITG team found the right, left and central wings of the building safe.
“They pointed out that the dome collapsed due to the lack of coordination among the designer, the contractor and the PMC,” he said, adding that the state government issued show-cause notices to the designer and the contractor.
“We have been informed that the penalty clause will be imposed on the designer, who has accepted it. The designer said the technical engineer supposed to have been at the construction site to supervise the designing part was not available,” Lyngdoh said.
The designer has ensured that a capable and experienced technical person will be stationed in Shillong to monitor and coordinate the work on the project, he added. “The designer also agreed that the government will not be charged for the extra work and the new design,” Lyngdoh said.
Informing that the contractor also accepted lapses, he said they have agreed to clear the debris at the building.
Based on the IITG’s suggestions, the contractor will undertake measures such as injecting epoxy and certain chemicals in the cracks for strengthening the building, the Speaker said.
“The contractor has agreed not to claim any additional fee for the reconstruction work in the damaged portion of the building,” he added.
He said the state government has assigned a technical engineer to keep testing the strength of the building. “As far as the PWD (Buildings) is concerned, the government has decided to appoint a new PMC with a very sound technical engineer,” he said.
When asked why the government went soft on the contractor and designer instead of cancelling the agreements with them, Lyngdoh said the Assembly Secretariat has decided to leave it to the wisdom of the government. “The tender agreement has a penalty clause to compensate the government for any losses,” he said.
“Our main concern is the safety of the building. The general people are concerned too. This was evident from the reactions on different social media platforms after the collapse of the dome. My office wants the work to resume,” he said.
Lyngdoh insisted that the IITG team’s assessment should put to rest any doubts about the safety of the new Assembly building.
Govt shielding culprits: MPYC
The Meghalaya Pradesh Congress (MPYC) on Friday slammed Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma for shielding the people involved in alleged irregularities in the implementation of the Assembly building project leading to the collapse of the central dome.
MPYC president Adrian L Chyne Mylliem told reporters that the Executive Engineer of PWD (Buildings), who was supervising the construction work, is now contesting the election from the CM’s party.
MPYC vice-president Banphira Lang Basaiawmoit demanded that the CM should put the IITG audit report in the public domain.
“Our CM had mentioned that the dome collapsed due to the weight of the structure. We would like to ask him to place the inquiry report made by the IIT Guwahati in public domain so that we may be aware of the reality behind the collapse,” Basaiawmoit said, making it clear that there is rampant corruption in the Assembly building project since the approved design was compromised with by the contractor.
Basaiawmoit also wanted to know how Uttar Pradesh Rajkiya Nirman Nigam Ltd was permitted to sub-contract the project to Badri Rai & Company (BRC) when the project document clearly states that only 40% of the work only can be sub-contracted.
“BRC had been initially rejected by the PWD since they could not qualify for the contract, but they have managed to come in through the backdoor,” he said, adding that BRC seems to have curried favours with the MDA Government and have been awarded multiple projects of public importance in the state.
According to Basaiawmoit, the projects being implemented by BRC include the Polo Market, Bajengdoba Road, Tura Stadium and MTC complex in Shillong.
