BENGALURU: The city could be staring at a crisis as several contractors for electrical, SWD, road and footpath works have either stopped work or have threatened to do so over non-payment of dues.
The payments have to be made by Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). Contractors for electrical works staged a protest at the BBMP head office at Hudson Circle on Wednesday, and as a result, street lights in several areas, including Vasanth Nagar were not switched on.
Contractors claimed they had not been paid dues amounting to `35 crore since over a year. They held talks with the Mayor in the evening, and were offered 50% of the dues on Thursday and the rest on Friday. The contractors switched on the lights at 9 pm, but have refused to carry out any maintenance work until full payments are made.
About 40 contractors of storm-water drain (SWD) works, who were carrying out works crucial to prevent flooding of low lying areas during heavy rain, will stop work over the next four days if payments are not made. Prakash Babu, a member of the Bengaluru Contractors’ Association, said `300 crore was allocated for the works on an urgent basis two years ago. “Works worth about `100-`120 crore have been completed, but no payments have been made. Officials say they will allocate it in the next budget, citing lack of funds,” he said. Babu said contractors had met BBMP Commissioner Maheshwar Rao on Wednesday and he had asked for two days’ time.
B N Somashekar, an SWD contractor, said wherever the works were unfinished, the areas around those drains were sure to flood after heavy rain. “We have clearly told officials that if any untoward incidents occur owing to flooding, then they are responsible,” he said.
Bette Gowda, Chief Engineer, SWD Department, said the payments had been approved by the government. Babu said contractors for road and footpath works too would go on strike for the same reason, claiming they had not been paid their dues for works done since the last two years.