BJP MLA Alexander L Hek today wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking high level enquiry into the “questionable bidding process” and allotment of contract for construction of the new Assembly building at Mawdiangdiang in the New Shillong Township.
In a letter to Modi, Hek said that the findings of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati clearly stated that the dome of the under-construction Assembly building collapsed on May 22 due to its dead weight and lack of coordination between the designers and the contractors working on the project.
Hek also said that initially during the bidding process, Assam-based Badri Rai Company Limited was disqualified after technical evaluation as the company did not have prior experience of constructing a dome and failed to have the minimum criteria of Bank Solvency Certificate, overdraft facilities and credit limit issued from a nationalised bank of at least 20 per cent of the estimated cost of the project put to tender.
“The contract was then awarded to Uttar Pradesh Rajkiya Nirman Nigam Limited which further sub-contracted the project to the same Badri Rai Company Limited that was rejected in the initial bidding process on multiple grounds,” Hek said in the letter to Modi.
“Undoubtedly, this unholy coalition between Uttar Pradesh Rajkiya Nirman Nigam Limited and Badri Rai Company Limited has caused great damage to the State. It has not only brought ignominy but also a huge amount of loss to the State exchequer,” he added.
Hek who is also the chairman of the Central Scheme Monitoring Committee of the State BJP also urged the prime minister to take urgent action on the matter “by initiating a high level enquiry to unearth the root of this contentious coalition”.
The findings of the 30-member team of IIT-Guwahati were submitted to the High-Powered Committee (HPC) of the Meghalaya Legislative Committee on September 9. The HPC has instructed the government to immediately call the designers and the contractors and ask for an explanation based on the findings.
The IIT-Guwahati has also suggested that the dome structure should be replaced with a light steel tubular truss structure covered with CGI sheet.
Till date an amount to the tune of Rs 130 crore has been spent for the construction of the new Assembly building on 80 acres of land at Mawdiangdiang.
Work on the building was started in June 2019 and was to be completed by September 2022.
