MTDC-AAI discord impeding Imphal Airport development
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, May 16 2022:
Incompetency of Manipur Tribal Development Corporation (MTDC), which leads to a strenuous relationship with Airports Authority of India (AAI), is being raised as a possible cause of roadblock in the development works of Imphal Airport.
The fallout between MTDC and AAI came after slow progress of the construction of a new terminal building of Arunachal Pradesh's Teju Airport.
AAI and MTDC signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for construction of a new terminal building and other related works at Teju Airport at a cost of Rs 38.41 crore on April 8, 2016 .
In the same year, AAI deposited Rs 9.60 crore to MTDC and the latter transferred the project to an Imphal-based private firm NM Constructions.
However, AAI terminated the MoU after witnessing slow progress of the project on July 31, 2018.After assessing the progress of the work, both sides came to an agreement that around Rs 6.97 crore had been utilised and AAI asked MTDC to return the remaining amount.
MTDC paid an amount of Rs 2.66 crore as mobilisation advance in 2016.During recheck, MTDC found NM Constructions using fake bond and banker's cheque, following which MTDC recovered Rs 1.5 crore from the latter.
MTDC is yet to recover Rs 2.61 crore from NM Constructions which include the remaining amount of Rs 1.12 crore from the mobilisation advance and another amount of Rs 1.48 crore released for additional works.
In the light of the circumstances, questioned are being raised over possible collusion among MTDC, bank and the construction company.
Consequent to the fallout, many believe that AAI has lost trust on MTDC, which would further affect the development works of Imphal Airport.
According to a source, MTDC has not released pending bills to sub-contractors, who are working on Imphal airport projects following the termination of the MoU with AAI thus affecting the progress of the works.