Despite the Jammu and Kashmir government has earmarked Rs 400 crore for macadamisation of roads across the state, the announcement of boycott by the contractors on all developmental works due to pending bills has put in jeopardy the important projects and necessary road repairs.
After the public works department submitted a detailedreport on dilapidated condition of roads in J&K, following which the stateadministration council in its budget gave a hike in allocation to funds beingearmarked for black-topping of roads across J&K.
A senior PWD official informed that earlier state governmentused to allocate meagre Rs 100 crore for macadamisation works in J&K, butfor the financial year 2019-20, the allocation has been increased by Rs 300 croreto Rs 400 crore.
“Therefore, PWD has to start work immediately so that fundsare spend judiciously and timely for black-topping roads in the state,” he saidadding that “both Jammu and Kashmir regions would get Rs 200 each forblack-topping of roads.”
However, he expressed disappointment over the decision ofcontractors boycotting civil works including black-topping of roads and said itwill have a serious impact on overall progress of works in the state.
“If the state government doesn’t resolve their issueimmediately, it would mean we will lose time which ultimately means that lesswork would be done at the end of the year, particularly in Kashmir there islimited time period for macadmisation due to dip in temperature,” he said whileexplaining that during winter months, macadamization work is halted as minustemperature is not conducive for this type of work.
Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir Contractor’s CoordinationCommittee upped the ante by deciding to boycott all developmental worksincluding PMGSY.
“We are bankrupt due to government failure to pay unpaidliabilities which are Rs 719 crore. As a result of which we have decided toboycott even PMGSY works as contractors have no money to invest,” saidchairman, JKCCC, Ghulam Jeelani Purza.
He said that the government needs to first pay contractorsthen talk of developmental works.
“On papers they claim to have started work on variouslanguishing projects running in several thousands of crore, but on ground thereare no funds, neither do contractors have money to invest in these projects. Itis all bogus to befool people,” he added.
Over 30,000 contractors in J&K are protesting, seekingrelease of their unpaid liabilities amounting to Rs 719 crore. The state’s PWDdepartment in this regard has urged the finance department to releaseadditional funds so that the liability of contractors is cleared. However, sofar there has not been any breakthrough as a result of which developmentalworks are halted across J&K.