SHILLONG, Aug 25 - Undue delay in implementing the Central projects worth over Rs 7,000 crore in Meghalaya has resulted in additional cost overrun of nearly Rs 2,000 crore, reports PTI.
�The total original cost of six Central projects in Meghalaya was Rs 7,108.02 crore and the anticipated completion cost is Rs 9,025 crore implying a cost overrun of Rs 1,916.98 crore,� an official said here today after a review of the progress of these projects by Union Minister of Statistics and Programme Implementation DV Sadananda Gowda on Thursday.
Around Rs 6,000 crore was earmarked for construction of the 108 km railway line connecting Shillong with the rest of the country by 2021, the official said.
The railway project has, however, been halted following arson by Khasi Students Union activists earlier this year in which heavy construction equipment worth several crores of rupees was damaged.
Gowda, he said, directed Meghalaya Chief Secretary Y Tsering to convene regular meetings of the Central sector Project Co-ordination Committee (CSPCC) to resolve problems faced by the Central PSUs in the State and for timely completion of the projects.
Staff Correspondent adds: Gowda today urged the engineers and officials not to compromise the work quality at the ongoing project at North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS).
The Minister paid a visit to the construction site of the Regional Cancer Centre. The 250-bed Hospital is being built within the premises of NEIGRIHMS.
Moreover, a Medical College building, hostel and Nursing College, a 30-room guest house are all part of the ongoing project being built at a cost of Rs 360 crore.
Gowda spoke with the authorities, site engineers and officials of the construction company and urged them to maintain work quality and also complete the project within the timeframe.
Accompanied by Rajya Sabha MP, Wansuk Syiem, Gowda also paid a visit to various departments of the hospital and interacted with the doctors and patients.
Lauding the efforts of the officials and doctors of the institute, the Minister expressed his satisfaction over the services being made available at the hospital.
�The patients I interacted with were happy with the hospital�s service. I am also very impressed with the cleanliness being maintained in and around the institute,� Gowda said.
