Nearly 90 per cent of the construction of the Rs 1.21 crore hostel building is complete, says Deputy City Engineer (Building) Shashikant Oak. Electrification and other minor works have yet to be initiated despite making estimates, he added. The PMC had initiated the project during the tenure of standing committee chairperson Neeta Pardeshi in 1996. The hostel would accommodate 100 working women and a creche for 35 children.

The civic administration made budgetary provisions amounting to Rs 70 lakh during the subsequent financial years. Fifty per cent of the project cost was to be shared by the central government as part of the grant-in-aid scheme. While the first installment of Rs 12.37 lakh was received, the PMC had to complete the construction work on its own. Over three letters have been sent to the Human Resource Development Ministry to expedite the release of the funds, Oak said adding that the remaining amount of Rs 28-odd lakh had yet to be received. The flooring of the parking space, gate construction and compound wall have yet to be completed.

Even as a provision of Rs 35 lakh has been made in the draft budget for the year 1999-2000 presented by the Municipal Commissioner Rajiv Agarwal, the standing committee has yet to make its own changes before sending it to the general body for approval. Bills worth Rs 10 lakh have yet to be paid, Oak said adding that the project will take another five months to be completed.