Contractors in Lucknow boycott road work tender biddings over ‘non-payment’


LUCKNOW: Road repair and construction in the city are likely to take a hit as contractors have refused to participate in the tender process for the said works in protest against the ‘non-payment’ of bills kept pending by Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC).

As a result of the poor financial management in the past, the civic body’s liabilities have reportedly crossed 300 crore.

Contractors have not received payments for the works done in the last three years, said LMC contractors’ association president Rahul Singh and general secretary Mukesh Pandey. Singh added: “Angry over the non-payment of dues, contractors on Tuesday boycotted attending biddings for tenders invited for potholes. These tenders were worth about one crore.”

The association added that despite running from pillar to post, the contractors still had to beg to get paid and were even subjected to humiliation at the hands of officials. “Many young contractors have left the profession because of non-payment of dues,” they added.

LMC chief engineer Mahesh Varma said negotiations with the contractors were underway. “The contractors who take part in tender biddings will get their previous dues cleared.”