Committee scraps tender, calls new bids for Meghalaya assembly construction

Shillong, Nov. 16 (IANS): An eight-member committee headed by Meghalaya assembly Speaker Abu Taher Mondal on Thursday scrapped a tender for the construction of a new assembly building to replace the 125-year-old building which was reduced to ashes 16 years ago.

“We have scrapped the tender after one of the construction firms that bid the lowest couldn’t justify completion of the project within quoted sum of money,” Mondal said after chairing a meeting of the high-powered committee of the assembly.

He said the committee had directed the Public Works Department to invite fresh tenders.

Three construction companies — Shapoorji Pallonji Company, Simplex Infrastructure Ltd, and Shree Gautam Infrastructure Company Ltd — were selected after technical evaluation.

Shree Gautam firm had quoted 15.01 per cent less than the bid value of Rs 105 crore.

Mondal said the decision to scrap the tender was taken after the PWD found that this company would not be able to complete the project.

“PWD officials told the committee members that it will not be possible for the company to complete the project at the bid cost in view of escalation in prices, and new taxes,” the Speaker said.

Since March 2001, assembly sessions have been held in the state’s Central Library Auditorium but later shifted to the Arts and Culture Auditorium within Brookside, the house where Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore began writing his “Shesher Kobita” in 1919.

The Speaker said the new building would not be a replica of the heritage assembly building built with Burma teak in Gothic style by the British.

The Meghalaya government had proposed a new assembly building at the New Shillong township in Mawdiangdiang, 12 km from state capital Shillong.