SAMBALPUR: More than four years have elapsed since work began on the composite building which will house the offices of the Sambalpur Municipal Corporation (SMC) and Sambalpur Development Authority (SDA) but the project is far from being completed.
Construction of the integrated building replicating the Hirakud Dam commenced in November 2017 and a target was set to complete the work within two years. Initially, the pace of the work slowed down reportedly due to inadequate funds.
While the problem was resolved later and the deadline extended to December 2020, the work got affected again by the COVID outbreak and lockdown restrictions.
As per reports, SMC is executing the work on the four-storey building, the detailed project report and design of which was prepared by a Kolkata based architectural firm. The building has been estimated at Rs 14.89 crore and is being developed at Durgapali area on the bank of river Mahanadi, spanning over an area of 4.5 acre.
SMC is currently operating from the old building of Sambalpur Municipality. The building however has been unable to accommodate all sections of the civic body after Sambalpur was accorded corporation status in 2014.
Similarly, the office of the SDA is situated in Saliabagicha area of the city now. Since its jurisdiction expanded over the last few years, SDA also requires a spacious building.
However, Sambalpur Municipal Commissioner Pradeep Sahu said that the building has been completed structurally but the interior work is yet to start and a separate tender will be floated for it. Moreover, an electrical sub-station will also be installed there. It will take some more time to make the building ready, he said.