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BBMP contractors say they will go on indefinite strike from today over unpaid bills

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BBMP contractors say they will go on indefinite strike from today over unpaid bills

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All ongoing municipal works in the city are likely to come to a halt from Monday as the Bangalore Municipal Contractors Association (BBMP) has announced an indefinite strike over pending bills.

The strike dealt a heavy blow to the massive white top paving project that began last month and to repair roads damaged by rain.

The Congress government had suspended bill payments across the city pending the outcome of the probe after coming to power in 2023. However, after protests by contractors, Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister DK Shivakumar ordered the civic body to start clearing the bills but pay only 75 per cent, with the remaining 25 per cent being kept pending the outcome of the probe for works funded by the state government.

The judicial commission HN Nagamohan Das, which is investigating the alleged corruption, is yet to submit its report. Meanwhile, contractors have been demanding settlement of their bills.

While the pending bill for works funded by the state government, including those through Amruta Nagarothanna, is over Rs 1,000 crore, the bill for works undertaken by the BBMP is a whopping Rs 3,258 crore.

“The pending bills of the civic body are increasing and even the works being cleared are being settled only 75 per cent which is unfair. We have written to the chief municipal commissioner several times and he said that he has sent a proposal to the government and if it is approved, the civic body will settle the bills. But Mr Shivakumar has been giving us false assurances,” said KT Manjunath, president of the BBMP Contractors Association.

BBMP will start clearing the bills from September 2023. “We have decided to stop all civic works, including white top works, indefinitely until the civic body starts clearing the outstanding 25 per cent bills,” he said.

However, a senior BBMP official said the civic body will hold talks with the contractor and arrive at an amicable solution. “The contractor should not resort to coercive tactics. BBMP has been clearing the bills and the contractor is not arrears of wages for a long time,” he said.

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