Shillong, Jun 2: State authorities were left deeply embarrassed and scrambling for answers after a wall collapsed at the PA Sangma Sports Complex in Tura early this morning.
This is the second such incident to have occurred in just under 12 months, with a retaining wall at the complex’s football stadium crumbling on 22nd June 2023.
Once again, the authorities pinned the blame on heavy rainfall.
Today’s collapse was of the outer boundary wall near the sewage treatment plant and Indoor Hall 2, which are currently under construction.
“The collapse of the wall has not impacted the main structure of the stadium at all,” Director of Sports & Youth Affairs Isawanda Laloo said in a statement, adding that the contractor, Hindustan Steelworks Construction Ltd, has been told to submit a detailed report.
Only provisional drainage systems are in place as the sewage treatment plant and two indoor halls are still under construction. The heavy rain “choked” the outlet and “after that the wall fell over,” Laloo said.
The wall was only temporary, she added, and had been constructed to demarcate and prevent possible encroachment.
Laloo also said that the West Garo Hills district administration has undertaken immediate measures to ensure safety of residents in the surrounding area. One family affected by the collapse has been relocated and provided with temporary relief measures including suitable accommodation, supplies, and all necessary amenities, she said.
The football stadium in the complex was inaugurated in December 2022 even though the rest of the facilities were incomplete at the time. The whole complex takes up 17,000 square metres and is being built at a cost of Rs 127.7 crore.
Today, the opposition Trinamool Congress demanded an independent inquiry. The TMC mentioned Badri Rai & Company as the implementing agency, a name Laloo’s statement didn’t include.
TMC state youth president Richard Marak alleged that the rampant collusion and undeniable connection between Badri Rai & Company and the MDA government have plunged Meghalaya “into a crisis of integrity and accountability”. He also mentioned last year’s wall collapse.
(Photos contributed)
