Namrup Replacement Power Project (NRPP)-I building collapses causing huge loss

A Correspondent

Namrup, July 10: The Namrup Replacement Power Project (NRPP), Phase-I, scheduled to be completed in 2012, has suffered one more serious setback when the second floor of the Steam Turbine Generator Building collapsed suddenly without any reason causing a loss of Rs 8 crore to Rs 10 crore. The incident occurred on Monday and caused a bit of terror and panic among the people. The incident was so lethal that if it had occurred in the day time it would have cost many lives and causalities. When asked about the cause of the accident, the NTPS and BHEL (construction company) authority were unable to give any clear-cut comment in this regard. Therefore, several questions have been raised regarding the quality and proper supervision of the construction works of the said project.

This triggered huge protests from several organizations, including, Namrup Anchalik Chatra Santha, AJYCP, TAYPA, NFSU and FWUN, demanding immediate enquiry into this unprecedented incident. Saitendra Choudhury, GM of NTPS Namrup, assured the organizations and the people to form an enquiry committee to find out the actual cause of this bizarre incident.

Former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi had laid the foundation stone of NRPP Phase I in the year 2009 and it was scheduled to be completed in 2012. But such a major setback has put the commissioning of this important 100 MW project into uncertainty again and it is also feared that if the gas turbine of the collapsed floor of the building had been damaged then the total loss would be several hundred crores.