Complete Assembly, Secretariat buildings on time: Arunachal CM

Apalled at the delay in construction of new Civil Secretariat and Legislative Assembly buildings by over 10 years, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Kalikho Pul has set deadlines and directed officials to ensure their completion within the time. Pul has set April 20 and August 14 as deadline for the completion of the Secretariat and the Assembly, respectively, an official release said here today. 

He said the next Assembly session would be held in the new building in September.

Pul, who inspected both the buildings yesterday, issued directives to the PWD and construction agencies to work round the clock to meet the deadline. Instructing construction agencies to increase manpower and work in three shifts on eight-hourly basis, he directed officials to monitor the pace of work.

Surprise inspections would be made and action would be taken on the spot against erring officers, Pul warned. The original cost of the Civil Secretariat building which was Rs 91.86 crore in 2009, escalated to Rs 198.56 crore in 2016, the Chief Minister said.

For the Assembly building, five figures ranging between Rs 51.81 crore and Rs 119.50 crore were found as original estimated cost, projected revised cost modified revised cost, etc, and he directed the Chief Secretary to verify the matter and place it before him for appropriate action.

Hinting at an inquiry in this regard, Pul said funds would be provided for completion of the two projects as the state and its people should not suffer due to faults of a few. He directed the Principal Secretary, Finance, to release Rs 20 crore each for the Secretariat and Assembly buildings.