Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, May 20: The ongoing works relating to the construction of the new office of the deputy commissioner at Padil in the city has now been progressing at a snail's pace. Because of the dearth of grants, currently, the works are progressing at an agonizingly slow pace.

Grants have to come from different departments. The estimated cost of the construction, when the work was taken up, was put at Rs 41 crore but already about Rs 50 crore has been spent on the project. The remaining works might need about Rs 20 crore. This gap has to be met from contributions of grants amounting to Rs 11 crore by different departments and the health department alone has to provide seven crore rupees The remaining amount will be met by the government. But as grants have not been released either by the departments or the government, works are not progressing at the desired pace.

The works on the complex started in March 2018 and the first phase of the construction was to be completed by September 16, 2020. As per information, civil works might be finished in a month but power connection, and interiors etc will need five to six more months.

The new office is located on 5.8 acres of land and the building covers 2.25 lac square feet which will house 38 departments, district in-charge minister's office, MP, MLA offices etc. On the ground floor, there will be a 400-seat auditorium, two meeting halls on the second floor, parking on the ground floor etc.

A separate, spacious parking lot has been provided on the ground floor. The complex will also have a bank, ATM, canteen, police outpost, post office etc. It will have a separate godown for the electronic voting machine, VVPAT and control units pertaining to the eight assembly constituencies in this district.

Deputy commissioner, Dr Rajendra K V, is confident that the building will be completed by getting grants from departments that will be housed in the new complex once it is completed.