Shillong, 19 September 2024: Thomas A Sangma, the Speaker of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, chaired a review meeting and conducted an inspection of the ongoing construction of the new Assembly building at Mawdiangdiang on Thursday. The inspection-cum-review meeting aimed to assess the progress and ensure the timely completion of the project. Dr. Andrew Simons, Commissioner & Secretary of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, along with officials from various line departments and the Assembly Secretariat, were in attendance.
Commenting on the state of progress, the Speaker remarked, “Today we conducted a joint inspection of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly building to review the progress of the work. We find that the progress is good, though a little slow. Overall, the progress is very good; we are very satisfied.”
A key focus of the meeting was ensuring that the building and its surroundings are in harmony with the natural environment. The Speaker stated, “I have called various departments, like the Forest Department and the Horticulture Department, to see that the entire premises of this complex are made as green as possible because we require the green area. We want to restore the green part as much as possible.”
Furthermore, the Speaker directed the Arts and Culture Department to design the interiors, especially along the hallways, corridors, and reception areas. “On the first floor, they will try to enact the story of Meghalaya in the reception area of the Legislative Assembly. And on the ground floor, they will try to depict the history of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly over the last 50-51 years.”
Speaking about the construction’s workforce, the Speaker mentioned earlier concerns about the shortage of workers but expressed satisfaction with recent improvements. “Earlier, the workforce was not up to the mark. There were very few people on the worksite, but now sufficient workforce is present, and more are coming. As you can see behind me, the dome sphere, which will cover the main assembly hall, is under construction. These kinds of tasks require special expertise and skilled workers, and half of them are already on the way, with more coming by today. From tomorrow or the day after, they can start working in full swing.”
During the review, the Speaker acknowledged that while significant progress has been made, the construction is slightly behind schedule. Originally slated for completion by 30 September 2024, the Speaker noted, “I would love to have it as early as possible. The earlier timeline that was given was September 30, but as you can see, we are lagging behind that timeline. Maybe they will require one more month at the most.”
The meeting was deemed “very successful,” with the Speaker commending the cooperation of various departments, particularly the PWD’s building division. “They have been very active over the years to ensure that no more accidents happen and that the safety of the building is ensured,” he said.