Meghalaya CM rules out ‘low quality work’ as reason for retaining wall collapse of PA Sangma Stadium

The CM held a review meeting today to take stock of what had actually happened and what led to the wall to collapse

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma today ruled out ‘low quality work’ as the reason behind the collapse of the retaining wall of the PA Sangma Stadium in Tura yesterday morning.

The CM held a review meeting today to take stock of what had actually happened and what led to the wall to collapse.

Briefing the media after the meeting the Chief Minister said that the collapse happened not because of any poor quality work or because specifications were not adhered to, but because of blocked drainage system.

“After the preliminary study by our engineers, the report given to me by the engineers and the contractor states that the drainage system that is there in the stadium which was meant to allow the water to flow out was blocked,” the CM said.

He said that construction work for the second part of the Stadium which is an indoor stadium, being done at an estimated cost of Rs 70 crores was underway. “Because of these activities, the drainage system got blocked. As the water was not able to flow out, it put pressure on the retaining wall which then gave in under the pressure of all the water collecting throughout the football stadium.”

The Chief Minister, in whose father’s name the Stadium is being built, maintained that the construction has been done as per the required standards and there was nothing wrong in it. He said, “The retaining wall was built as per the specifications, there is nothing wrong in the construction part. All the quality measures and the specifications have been adhered to.”

The CM further stated that the new structures which are coming up are stable and as per the preliminary report there are no damage to any other structures of the Stadium that is under construction.

There are two parts to the Stadium construction – the first part, the football stadium built at an approximate cost of Rs 50 crores is complete and this is where the wall collapse incident took place. The second part of the stadium is being built Rs 70 crores. It is an indoor stadium with different facilities, the CM said.

Within hours of the wall collapse, a magisterial inquiry was ordered into the incident. DC West Garo Hills, Jagdish Chelani had assured that necessary action would be taken against the negligent parties once facts became clear.
Meanwhile, Tura MDC and Meghalaya BJP vice president Bernard Marak had filed an FIR against the contractor over alleged shoddy and poor quality of construction work.

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