SHILLONG: The State government on Wednesday, threatened to blacklist those national construction companies who failed to complete construction projects within the target date.
State Urban Affairs minister Ampareen Lyngdoh indicated this while reacting to the undue delay in completing the project for constructing 600 dwelling units for the urban poor at Nongmynsong here by the Hindustan Prefab Limited, which is considered as a national player in the construction industry.
“Complete the projects on time or surrender them but with necessary penalties. We want to give a very strong message to national players that don’t come to the Northeast and take us for granted,” Lyngdoh said.
The state government’s ambitious housing project for the urban poor has suffered a major blow with Hindustan Prefab Ltd, a Delhi-based company engaged in the project, deciding to pull out due to manpower shortage. The company engaged in building over 600 low cost dwelling units for the urban poor under the centrally-sponsored JNNURM was awarded the project in 2008.
The state government has also sought to impose penalty on Hindustan Prefab Ltd (HPL) for failing to deliver in time what they promised.
“The company has expressed its desire to surrender the project,” Lyngdoh said.
She said, based on the proposal from their end, the Meghalaya Urban Development Agency (MUDA) was directed to prepare an inventory of the project and report the same within a month to the state government. The state government has also sought to impose penalty on Hindustan Prefab Ltd (HPL) for failing to deliver in time what they promised.
She said the project has been delayed by over 48 months which would result in project cost overrun.
Rebutting the allegations of non-availability of manpower, the Urban Affairs Minister said HPL had entered into an agreement with the local village Dorbar for the supply of manpower, adding the company bargained with the labourers over wages. (Agencies)
