SHILLONG, June 23: Ignoring all allegations of shoddy construction work, the state government on Friday gave a clean chit to engineers and contractors involved in the construction of the PA Sangma Sports Complex which suffered significant damages after a portion of the retaining wall collapsed on Thursday morning.
Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, who received a preliminary report into the incident, said that as per the report, the retaining wall specifications are as per drawings and plans and “there is nothing wrong in the construction”.
“All quality measures and specifications have been adhered to and it is only because of the drainage and leakage that the retaining wall collapsed. All necessary measures are being taken to stop any further damage,” he said.
Sangma said as the preliminary report submitted by the contractor and engineer, the drainage system in the stadium which was meant to allow water to flow out was blocked. The collapse affected the completed portion of the football ground that constructed at a cost of around Rs 50 crore, he said.
According to the CM, under the second phase, work is going on for an indoor stadium and because of these construction activities, the drainage got blocked and the water pressure affected the retaining wall.
Sangma maintained that the overall structure and the new stands which are coming up in the stadium are stable and there is no damage to other infrastructure.
It was also informed that one of the high mast light poles affected by the mudslip in the stadium is stable but as a precaution, the engineer and contractor will investigate it.
The government has already ordered a magisterial probe into the collapse of the boundary wall.
Interestingly, a release from the Chief Minister’s Office stated that the project is being executed by a company identified as Hindustan Steelworks Construction Limited. However, a visit to the stadium makes it more than apparent that the project is being executed by Badri Rai Constructions, the same contractors behind the infamous Assembly dome collapse on May 22 last year.
