Statesman News Service
MALDA, 29 JUNE: Though the district administration had intended to complete the Malda central bus terminus by December 2008, the PWD engineers do not know when the central bus terminus will be operational. This has now been alleged as due to a funding crunch rather than the monsoon, an argument put forward nearly a year ago.
In October 2008, the district administrative officials argued that, ‘they had planned to complete the construction work by October, but it was delayed due to the monsoon.” But, today, the executive engineer of PWD said that, “this project is being delayed due to the funding crunch.”
A few days ago, the Malda district magistrate, Mr Sridhar Ghosh, sought the present status report of the ongoing construction work for the future traffic management plan of Malda town.
According to the assistant engineer, Mr AK Saha, based on existing tender, construction work is in operation and will be completed shortly.
When asked about the construction of a culvert for the building of an entrance and exit way from the Central Bus Terminus to the NH-34, near English Bazaar Regulated Market, the assistant engineer Mr Saha quoted his boss (the executive engineer) and said: “There is no fund for the construction of that culvert at present.”
Mr Saha then added: “It is very difficult to say when the work will be completed and when it will be operational. We need to float tender for other jobs including some plans to increase the capacity of the existing building which has already been completed. The coming monsoon may also delay the project.” According to the district administration, Rs 1.35 crore was allotted for the project. This apart, Rs 1.22 crore had been sanctioned for the completion of the Central Bus Terminus, including electrical work. Allegedly, when the project was conceived, the transport department had allotted a decent amount of funding.
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