A contract to repair the mosque and mortuary of the Aasahara cemetery in Male' has been terminated halfway into the work after MVR 3.9 million was paid.
The Aasahara mosque was closed off for repairs last May.
The city council said at the time that services will resume after the repair work in two months.
But apart from demolishing the place and building concrete pillars, no other work has been done to date.
Three council members sought to clarify information over the decision to terminate the contract.
Employees involved in administrative and technical aspects of the project were summoned to the last council meeting to provide details of how the work proceeded.
Changes were made to the mosque's design and the Aasahara drawing after the project was awarded, according to the employees, who cited it as the main reason that work stalled.
Pillars built as part of Aasahara repair work. -- Photo: Abdulla Iyaan/ Adhadhu
Based on the drawing with the changes made later, 45 percent of the work has been completed, an employee said at the council meeting.
But 75 percent of the work assigned to the contractor under the agreement has been completed, the employee said.
"[Because of changes made to the design] there were additional expenses within this. Payments were released to do the work until a particular schedule could be readied to do it with the changes made," an employee from the administrative desk explained.
The project was undertaken after approval at a council meeting.
The budget passed by the council for the project was MVR 4.9 million, of which MVR 3.9 million has been paid to the contractor for work completed to date.
Stalled Aasahara mosque repair work. -- Photo: Abdulla Iyaan/ Adhadhu
Council bureau staff who oversaw the project said there were some unforeseen expenditures as well, which also caused delays.
"As there was an MWSC [Male' Water and Sewerage Company] pump station when the corner was demolished as part of the changes made to the drawing, it took 20 days to solve it. There was also a STELCO [State Electricity Company] electricity board. That part of the wall couldn't be demolished," a bureau employee said.
With only MVR 1 million left from the budget approved by the council, some councilors expressed concern that only pillars have been built.
The identity of the contractor was unclear from the council meeting. The city council has yet to officially comment on the issue.
