It has been about four years since works to construct a 120-bed girls’ hostel and administrative block started at Nagor Middle Secondary School in Silambi Gewog of Monggar. Despite extending the contract duration several times the works have yet to complete. The district tender committee is now penalizing the contractor by imposing a fine of more than Nu 3 M for failing to complete the works. As of now, about 80 per cent of the construction work has been completed.
The work to construct a 120-bed girl’s hostel with a cottage for a matron which began in the beginning of 2020 was initially supposed to be completed in 18 months.
Similarly, the construction of an administrative block with an 8-unit classroom started in April 2020 to be completed in 15 months.
The works worth Nu 32.3 M were awarded to a private construction company to be completed by July 2021.
Unable to complete the works on time, the district tender committee extended the duration till April this year.
However, the contractor failed to complete the work on time even after extending the deadline three times.
The contractor will now have to pay 10 per cent of the total work cost which amounts to over Nu 3 M as fine.
The district tender committee held a coordination meeting with the construction company and subsequently works resumed last month.
According to the contractor, the works got delayed because of the frequent roadblocks and lockdowns in the country due to the pandemic which affected in transporting construction materials.
He added that he has yet to complete the plumbing and electrical works for both the structures.
According to the Silambi Gewog Administration, the delay has also affected the Gewog’s plans to upgrade the school to a higher secondary school.
The work is now expected to be completed within three months.
Silambi Gup Dorji Wangchuk said, “We visit the site almost every day and send the report of the work progress to the district administration and the engineer. They are working hard to complete the structures on time. The administrative block is about to be completed while hostel construction work is a little behind.”
The District Administration approved the construction works to address the issue of classroom and hostel shortages in the school.
“We have to keep about 8 to 10 students in a small room. Other than that we do not have much problem. Currently, we have enough classrooms to accommodate 15 sections in the school. But we have some problems as teacher’s quarters, general office and store are together in the same building,” said Som Bdr. the Principal of Nagor Middle Secondary School Monggar.
He added that the shortage of classrooms and hostels will become severe when the school gets upgraded to a higher secondary school. Established in 1988, the school has more than 350 students. If the works are not complete before the schools reopen for the next academic session, the students will have to continue to study and sleep in cramped spaces.
Karma Wangdi, Monggar
Edited by Phub Gyem
