Tuensang: Government building projects incomplete after 15 years

CWS seeks clarification from NPWD within 15 days

Morung Express News
Tuensang | February 19

Tuensang is known as a district with many relics steeped in legends about the origin of life on earth and the exploits and stories of the Nagas when they lived as one big family.

Amidst the relics of yore, there is a cluster of shaky buildings in Tuensang town resembling ruins of some ancient monument of past civilisations. But these buildings have nothing to do with ancient Naga history. They are the unfinished government buildings which have been under construction for the past decade and half.

Built as part of the Nagaland Public Works Department (NPWD), the unfinished buildings were intended to be used as the Mechanical Engineer’s office building and workshop; the PWD (Housing) staff quarters; and the residence for the PWD (Roads & Bridges) Additional Chief Engineer. Works for the ME office building began in July 2007 while the construction of the other two projects commenced in December 2006.

On February 19, following a visit to the worksite, the Chang Wedoshi Setshang (CWS) wrote to the NPWD’s Engineer-in-Chief, seeking clarification on why the buildings have been left incomplete even after almost 16 years since construction began. They sought a response within 15 days with effect from February 19.

The CWS pointed out that the half constructed walls are now shaky, there were no windows, doors or floors in most of the buildings, and the only paint work done on the buildings were the letters of the alphabet scrawled in charcoal by neighbourhood kids. 

“It’s been like this for the at least 15 years,” CWS President C Pongsu said, pointing at the overgrown vegetation amidst the abandoned buildings.

We are appalled and shocked by incomplete state of the buildings, he added. 

According to the CWS, construction of the Addl CE PWD (R&B) residence at Tuensang commenced on December 20, 2006 with overall project costing at Rs 24.09 lakh out of which Rs. 7.09 lakh was sanctioned to M/S RS Jesing, Kohima.

The construction of the Tuensang PWD (H) staff quarters (type-B four units double storey) also commenced on December 20, 2006 with overall project costing at Rs 55.33 lakh out of which Rs 26. 33 lakh was sanctioned to Namang Chang, Kohima and the construction of ME office building and workshop at Tuensang commenced on July 2, 2007.

The overall project cost for the ME office building and workshop was Rs 67.82 lakh out of which Rs 27.74 lakh was sanctioned to M/S Asha & Co, Kohima.