Contractors protest against delay in payments

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 26: Members of J&K Contractors Co-ordination Committee held a protest in front of the Lok Nirman Bhawan Rail head complex Jammu demanding release of the payments of the contractors amounting to Rs 107 crores.
Leading the protest, Balvinder Singh, general secretary of the JKCCC, criticized the State Government for not releasing the payments timely of the contractors. He  alleged that the ministers and departments only put pressure on the contractors for the timely completion of the work but they never show any sincerity or even mentioning of the time of the payment to the contractors.
Citing number of cases of delayed payments, the agitating contractors said there are many cases where the payments to the contractors have not been made for 4 to 5 years despite completion of the work by the contractors and take over of the projects by the department.
Demanding immediate intervention of the Chief Minister and PWD Minister, the contractors urged both of them to look into this serious breach in all tender notices where there is no mention of time limit fixed for payments to the contractors.
The JKCC threatened to approach court against exploitation of the contractors.
Vinod Kohli and Sham Singh, both vice chairmen JKCCC, urged the Chief Minister and Works Minister  to ensure  release of the payments against the work done  and also direct Engineers not to put works to tender without mentioning the date of payment besides  asking all ministers to desist from laying foundation stone of the work without arranging funds in advance.