Aalo stadium project mired in controversy

The controversy over the construction of the outdoor stadium here in West Siang district refuses to die.

The state government sanctioned the stadium under the 2014-’15 SPA at an estimated cost of Rs 35.28 crores, and the work started in June 2018 with a completion deadline of 36 months.

In 2022-’23, the state government provided funds from the state funds and the construction work picked up. But due to reasons unknown, the construction work slowed down.

Time and again, the people of West Siang, led by senior citizens like former ministers Doi Ado and Kento Ete, besides student leaders and others have been demanding immediate completion of the stadium project.

In June this year, the West Siang District Olympic Association (WSDOA) staged a peaceful dharna to highlight its frustration over the delay in completion of the stadium, which has been pending for more than eight years. Meanwhile, other stadiums that were allocated at the same time, such as the ones in Pasighat (E/Siang), Ziro (L/Subansiri), Chimpu (P/Pare) and Yupia (P/Pare), are already functioning.

On 1 November, several organizations urged the construction firm to vacate the premises, and on 6 November the organizations gave an ultimatum to the firm to vacate the premises within 48 hours.

On Friday, hundreds of students under the WSDOA, the Galo Students’ Union, the West Siang District Students’ Union and others conducted a social service at the general ground here.

The social service was conducted following the end of the ultimatum given by the organizations to vacate the site following delays and insufficient progress of work.

The stadium project, overseen by a joint steering committee, including representatives from West Siang district, missed several deadlines, the latest being 31 October this year.

“From today, the general public of West Siang is taking over the Aalo general ground (outdoor stadium) from M/s TK Engineering Consortium Limited,” WSDOA president Nyatum Bagra said.

“Our protest is against the construction agency, TK Engineering Consortium, which has failed to complete the project despite sufficient funds provided by the state government,” he said.

“The delay in completing the stadium has negatively impacted sports enthusiasts in the district. Many youths have turned to drugs and sports activities have been disrupted over the past eight years due to the unavailability of the ground,” Bagra added.

Interestingly, a football tournament is underway at the government higher secondary school playground here due to the lack of a stadium.

“We urge the firm to vacate the premises, so that the district administration can initiate a re-tendering process and award the work to a contractor who can complete the project,” Bagra added.

West Siang District Sports Officer Tumto Loyi accused the firm of not cooperating by not engaging enough labourers. He said that the district administration, the locals and students are cooperating with the executing firm, “but due to unknown reasons, the firm is not serious in completing the project.”

Iterating that the project has missed several deadlines, Loyi said that Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Kento Jini, who is also the local MLA, has set 31 December as the deadline for the completion of the stadium.

Loyi said that the government and the state’s sports department are very concerned over the delay in completion of the project. He appealed to the students to “carry out the social service without damaging the construction materials on the site.”

R Ngomdir, who works as a supervisor for TK Engineering Consortium Limited, said that not a single labourer is at the site at the moment. He said that the firm is likely to engage labourers in a day or two.

“If enough labourers are engaged, the project could be completed within 31 December,” he said.

The sports and youth affairs minister said that he discussed the matter with the district authorities, the executing firm and the other stakeholders recently.He appealed to the students to allow construction, reiterating that the project will be completed by 31 December.

Jini said he would contemplate terminating the contract with the executing firm if it fails to complete the project by year-end. The minister also appealed to the students to not damage construction materials.

On the lack of labourers at the site, Jini said, “Who would stay at the site when you are asked to vacate the site?”

Amidst all this, a new problem has cropped up, with people questioning the selection of the site. Many suggested that the multipurpose outdoor stadium should have been constructed on the outskirts of the town.

At this rate, the project will not see the light of the day in another decade.