In view of dilapidated roads causing inconvenience to commuters across Kashmir, contractors, who have boycotted all development works as a protest against the government, have decided to carry the road repairs in the public interest.
Joint Contractors Coordination Committee (JCCC), which isspearheading the boycott, is demanding release of pending bills worth Rs 1,024crore.
“After civil society members, private school associationsrequested us to carry out repair works on roads. JCCC has decided that we wouldcontinue our boycott but our members will carry patch works on the dilapidatedroads so that the common people won’t suffer,” said chairman, JCCC, GhulamJeelani Purza.
He said that government has so far redressed only one demandbut the remaining issues of pending liabilities, reducing limit for e-tenderingand others are still pending.
“But we are also part of the society, our roads in Kashmirare in bad shape as a result of which everybody suffer. Therefore ourcontractors will participate in tendering bids for only road repairs. Neitherwe would paint bungalows of estate department nor we would paint roads andfootpaths ahead of Durbar move,” he said, adding that contractors wouldcontinue boycott of all other developmental activities.
Development works including languishing projects and repairof roads have come to halt as the state government has failed to releasepayment of contractors amounting to Rs 1,024 crore.
Normally in April the work on development projects used tobe on full swing as the Kashmir witnesses slump in construction activitiesduring winter months due to low temperatures. However this year situation istotally different as the work on all the important projects have come to haltfollowing the boycott call given by Joint Coordination Committee of Contractorswho are seeking release of their bills.