Shillong, Aug 30: The cost for the construction of new Assembly has escalated to Rs 200 crore from Rs 141 crore.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Assembly Speaker Thomas Sangma said that the cost escalation is due to the increase in structural area. “Now the floor area is bigger which justifies the cost escalation from Rs 141 crore to Rs 200 crore”, Thomas said.
After the collapse of the dome of the under-construction new Assembly at Mawdiangdiang in May last year, there has been delay in the construction of the building.
The main contractor, Uttar Pradesh Rajkiya Nirman Nigam Limited had entrusted the work to Badri Rai & Company.
The audit report into the collapse of the dome had cited lack of periodical check which resulted in the incident.
No action was taken by the state government against the company.
In September last year, after a meeting of the previous High Power Committee, the former Speaker Metbah Lyngdoh said that the new design of the dome will be free of cost.
Moreover, the contractor also accepted the shortcomings and assured that he will not make any further claim for reconstruction, Metbah had said.
When asked about this, the speaker said that as the floor area changed, there is cost escalation.
The speaker said the new design of the dome was approved and the work started.
The workers have also cleared the debris.
According to the speaker, the work is expected to be completed within a year.
The progress is there for the construction although there were some technical issues which are unavoidable, he said.
“Now, the work has started and we are hopeful that the Assembly building will be completed within a year’s time,” he said.
Thomas added, “Because of all those incidents that had happened ( collapse of the dome)…because of hasty decisions, I don’t want to risk any more. Therefore, within a year, we should be able to complete it.”
“The construction of new dome has also started, it is slightly modified but it is lighter unlike the earlier design which weighed around 3,000 metric tons but now that has been reduced considerably”, the speaker added.
