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The Speaker of Meghalaya Assembly – Metbah Lyngdoh has informed that the architect of the dome and builder of the under-construction assembly building at Mawdiangdiang have been penalized for their lapses which caused its fall.

Addressing the mediapersons after chairing a meeting of the High-Powered Committee (HPC) on September 16, the Speaker noted that the penalty cause will be imposed, in accordance with the pact signed with the government.

The architect has also consented to serve the penalty clause; and assured that a qualified technical person will be hired to oversee or coordinate the designing section.

Additionally, the designer has agreed that the new dome design will be prepared free-of-cost; and no amount will be charged from the government. The Speaker further added that he will be stationed in Shillong to monitor and coordinate the construction.

Lyngdoh said that as per the suggestion of IIT Guwahati light materials will be used for the construction of the dome.

The Speaker also said that the contractor also accepted some lapses from their end; and agreed to clear the debris accumulated, as a result of the dome collapse.

He claimed that IIT-Guwahati had proposed using EPOXY or injecting chemicals into the broken areas to reinforce the structure.

The Speaker informed that the new dome design will be completed within three weeks. It was agreed that a thorough presentation will be prepared on it, in presence of High-Powered Committee (HPC) representatives for necessary approval.

This 70-tonne steel dome of the under-construction Meghalaya assembly building at Mawdiangdiang in New Shillong Township collapsed on May 22, at around 12:30 AM. As per reports, the dome collapsed, due to a design flaw.

Construction for this new Assembly building had commenced in 2019 and was scheduled to end in July this year. The contract for this project was given to Uttar-Pradesh based ‘Uttar Pradesh Rajkiya Nirman Nigam (UPRNN) Ltd.’, and the total cost of the project is Rs 127 crores.

Its worthy to note that the northeastern state don’t have a permanent Assembly building, since the old wooden one of 1937 was reduced to ashes in 2001. The 60-member House is temporarily meeting at an auditorium next to the historic Brookside Bungalow, which was previously retreat to Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore.