BENGALURU: Around 20 civil engineers outsourced by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) are yet to get their salaries for the past five months. They continue working on the field in crucial BDA projects including the Dr Shivarama Karanth Layout and Nadaprabhu Kempegowda layout.
A group of engineers gather at the BDA head office requesting for their pending payment.
One of them told TNIE, “We are struggling now. Since November, we have not been paid our salaries. It has been five months now. We are managing to work somehow as the job is important for us. BDA has to release an order on our employment to our agency. We have been repeatedly pursuing it.”
Another engineer said that each had to be paid Rs 41,000 per month. “Our contract is renewed annually. We did not have any problem with payment in the past. It is only this time that we have not been paid.”
A source from the firm said, “We need to be issued an Order by the BDA about these engineers with details on their attendance. Without the order confirming the contract, we cannot go ahead and make any payment from our side. As soon as the BDA issues it, we will pay them.”
The first two batches have not been paid for five months while the last batch has not been paid for a month, he added.
A senior BDA official told TNIE, “There was some internal confusion among BDA officials. Going by the Cadre & Recruitment Rules, it appears that a higher number than that required have been hired. Hence, it could not be approved. However, the authority needs atleast 70 engineers and permission had been taken by the BDA from its Board to hire the additional numbers. There was some misunderstanding among officials which has led to a delay in their payment.”
The official added that the matter is being resolved now. “We have asked the agency to pay them. They need to pay the employees first and then BDA will reimburse it to them.”