A high-powered inspection team comprising the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Meghalaya Assembly, Chief Minister and Deputy CMs and others visited the construction site of the new Assembly building in Mawdiangdiang today.
Speaker Thomas Sangma said that, though the project has been delayed, safety is paramount. However, he still expects the building to be complete this year.
The new building has been beset by construction problems. The biggest of these was the dramatic collapse of the under-construction dome in May 2022. Luckily, there was no loss of life in the incident, only loss of face for the government.
Following the thorough inspection and review meeting, the Speaker expressed his satisfaction with the progress of the construction work. Separately, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, said on social media that the contractor has been told to further expedite the work.
Thomas Sangma was optimistic about holding a session of the Assembly in the building this year, a press release stated. However, he underscored the importance of safety first and said that no undue pressure would be placed on the contractor in order to meet the timeframe.
The press release made no mention of the planned dome over the building. Despite the 2022 collapse, the government decided to dispense with any scruples and gave the go-ahead for a second gigantic dome to be built over the structure, though this one is meant to be lighter in weight. Photos shared by the CM on social media today showed the building to still lack a dome, besides much else.
