SHILLONG, OCT 13: Assembly Speaker Thomas A Sangma on Tuesday said the construction of the new Assembly building at Mawdiangdiang is on schedule and is expected to be completed within this calendar year, with no cost escalation so far.
“It is progressing and I hope no difficulties, no situations come about that we can delay but it is on schedule. It is running on schedule but certain unforeseen things happened so we are hoping that it will be completed within this calendar year,” Sangma said.
He said the main pending work is the Assembly hall, dome and ceiling, which features intricate designs depicting Meghalaya’s culture and story.
“The hall is a different element or a structure, we have completed the right wing and the left wing also. The hall work was delayed because of the earlier dome collapse and we had to wait for the new design to be approved by the IITs and competent people,” the Speaker said.
On safety, Sangma said the audit is being done simultaneously as the ceiling work will cover the structure.
“Even now also because the ceiling will be covered so we won’t have time to go inside for the safety audit so this is being done simultaneously. Recently, Guwahati IIT professors have come, they have inspected and they made certain observations which are very minor and necessary corrections are already being made,” he said.
“Safety is very important. I hope nothing like that happens, at least in my time,” he added.
Regarding the second phase, he said proposals have been submitted to the Centre and there has been some positive response, though no specific ministry looks after Assembly building development.
