SHILLONG, Dec 4: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Wednesday informed that a 100-day extension has been granted for the completion of the new Assembly building at Mawdiangdiang, New Shillong Township.
“The high-power committee agreeing to a 100-day extension makes it impossible to hold the budget session as originally planned. However, we remain optimistic about completing the project by the autumn session of 2025,” he stated.
“The engineers of the PWD department and contractors have met on multiple occasions to ensure that every minute detail is looked into. They have requested for additional time as they don’t want to rush through the project. The high-power committee has agreed to allot additional time to complete the project,” the chief minister said.
The meeting discussed the progress of the construction and interior works which is currently under way, including the ongoing installation of the dome structure.
“With careful planning and design modifications, the dome’s weight has been reduced to 85 metric tons to enhance stability,” he added.
Sangma reiterated the need for meticulous planning, referencing a previous mishap (in 2022) during construction.
“The work is progressing well, but we have faced challenges. Engineers from the PWD, the Project Management Consultant (PMC), and contractors have held multiple reviews to address every detail,” the chief minister said.
Highlighting the changes to the dome’s design and materials, he explained, “The earlier dome design was suspended on a platform and weighed 3,000 metric tons. Now, the new design places the dome’s structure on the main beams and foundation, reducing the weight to 85 metric tons. This change ensures greater stability and addresses seismic safety, rain leakage, and long-term maintenance concerns.”
