TURA, JUNE 20: After several hiccups, the state urban affairs department is considering constructing two parking lots in the newly constructed marketing hub at Ringrey in Tura which had stalled its inauguration.
The marketing hub courted controversy and its inauguration stalled when South Tura legislator John Leslee K. Sangma opposed its opening stating that the urban affairs department flouted norms in its construction. He even threatened to move the court if the government had gone ahead with its inauguration.
The building was completed in December last year.
The two storey building, constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 2.6 crore has been under scanner for ‘architectural defect’. The project was undertaken through the central government scheme of backward region grant fund (BRGF).
As per guidelines, a market hub should have a parking space, a proper pit, drainage, protection and retaining wall but Tura Municipal Board and Urban Affairs department flouted all norms. The leakage inside the building added to the controversy.
Finally the state urban affairs department has decided to correct the defects and parking lots will be constructed on the left and right side of the building.
On the right side, a lower primary school is functioning, which is being shifted to a suitable location as the school has agreed. The school, which presently has two class rooms will be provided six
rooms, toilet and facilities for children to play.
The delay in inauguration has angered many entrepreneurs, who are contemplating to file suit for allotment of the building, which has flaws.
Urban Affairs Minister, Ampareen Lyngdoh has directed the department to oversee the immediate construction of the parking space. “Any operation from the complex would mean that Meghalaya Urban
Development department has flouted its own rules. It would set a wrong precedent”, said Sangma.
Sangma has also asked the vegetable vendors in Ringrey, who are to be accommodated in the marketing hub, not to shift till the defects is corrected. He said, “I have asked them not to shift to the newly constructed hub, as it does not have a parking lot. They have agreed to comply with. This has also been conveyed to the urban affairs minister, who has assured to look into it.”
The oldest Ringrey vegetable market operates on a footpath lane, which creates a lot of traffic congestion.
The marketing hub was conceptualized by the government to allow the vegetable vendors and others to move to a permanent location, thereby not causing any problem, which might crop up for expansion of the PWD road, which is in pipeline now.
The marketing hub has 101 rooms, including a restaurant space and 45 stalls for sale of vegetable, meat, pork and fish.- From Our Correspondent
+ There are no comments
Add yours