SHILLONG, Jan 19: The construction of the new Assembly Building at Mawdiangdiang will not be complete by the first week of May this year, a deadline the state government had set.
Following an inspection as well as review of the progress of the project, Assembly Speaker, Metbah Lyngdoh on Wednesday said the May deadline will not be met.
He cited the Covid-19 pandemic, shortage of labourers and other factors as the reasons behind the delay. “I have directed all the departments and the firm implementing the project to rework on the revised target date. We intend to complete the project by the end of June but it will all depend on how the (COVID-19) situation unfolds in the next few months,” the Speaker said.
He said the construction agency is facing difficulties in erecting the dome on the top of the 85-metre RCC structure, thus contributing to the delay.
“I am happy the dome will be erected finally by the third week of February,” the Speaker said.
He said the state government has assured there will not be any problem with the flow of funds.
“We are awaiting funds of Rs 100 crore we sought from the Centre. We will be meeting Union Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman in order to get the funds,” Lyngdoh said.
He said he will review the project again in the last week of this month.