Imphal, February 10, 2010: The construction of Manipur Bhavan at Guwahati of Assam which would provide shelter and other facilities to the people of the state particularly to the officials of the state government visiting the commercial hub of the north, works on which started six year back is yet to complete.

The construction works of the Bhavan was started in 2003-04 under the initiative of the state general administrative department.

The construction works is handled by the state PWD department through a contractor engaged by the department.

A controversy on the proposed storeys of the building is cited as one of the main reason behind the delay in the construction of the Bhavan.

The Bhavan located at Urubari within the main city area of Guwahati is to have three storeys above the ground floor as per work order of the GAD but the contractor converted the three storeys building into four storeyed one.

GAD authority had requested state Chief Minister and Chief Secretary to take up necessary actions for completion of the construction works at the earliest apart from strict instructions to the officials concerned of the PWD.

However, the same is not seen materializing.

Mention may be made that controversy relating to the construction of the Bhavan was also discussed in the floor of the Manipur Legislative Assembly.

A highly reliable source said that the construction works of the Bhavan will start from February 15 next.

But this information could not be confirmed from the source.

On the other hand, Manipur government is running Manipur Bhavan in a hired house at Guwahati Rajgarh for the around 25 years now.

The state is spending Rs 7,600 per month as rent of the house.

As repairing work has not been carried out for a long time, most of the rooms of the Bhavan are in a deplorable state.

Only two rooms are in usable state currently.

Officials of the state government as well as common people visiting the city do not stay at the Bhavan except for collection of required information.

Owing to the existing state of affairs in the Bahvan, officials and people visiting there are staying at private hotels which are not only expensive but also hard to find at proper places.

Most inconvenience is faced by the students who go there for study and other purposes.

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