Govt to sign agreement with MIREPL for development of five-star hotel

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJuly 19, 2021

The state government has decided to sign a fresh lease agreement with the Maxim Infrastructure and Real Estate Private Ltd (MIREPL) for 30 years for the development of a five-star hotel in the city.

The construction work of a five star hotel in Jail Road which once housed the office of the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB) started way back in the year 2011-2012, but the project has been delayed.

Addressing media persons after a cabinet meeting on Monday, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said the government is committed to see that this project is completed at the earliest.

“The project has been pending for too long and lots of investment has been made but it has been lying idle like a white elephant,” he said.

He said the cabinet has decided that a fresh lease agreement for 30 years which is in nature will be signed with MIREPL, which got the project through a fair bidding process.

The chief minister also informed that there are certain concerns that were raised regarding some of the terms and conditions that were there.

“(This) mainly has to do with the fact that certain areas were not given to them as per the agreement that was initially made that was supposed to be 71,000 sq ft whereas the actual lease was only 61,000 sq ft so it was 10,000 sq ft lesser than what was put in the agreement – so they wanted adjustment for those in the new lease,” he said.

Sangma said that they (company) have also requested that the old amount to the tune of Rs 2.5 crore that were pending which were not paid by the past leasee or company that has taken this project be removed so that they don’t have to pay the same.

“(However), the government has not agreed to it and had said that even though it is past dues by past company, these are still dues that are there for the government of Meghalaya so those amounts have to be paid but we have agreed to give them some relaxation in terms of the interest amount and in terms of the period in which they have to pay – That small relaxation has been given but we cannot remove the entire amount that is there,” he stated.

The Chief Minister further informed that the company concerned has agreed to have some adjustment in terms of the floor area and in return for that, it will be constructing an office site for the SMB with the size of 20,000 sq ft in the plot no 24 opposite the BSNL quarters in the European Ward as allocated by the GAD department.