Hyderabad: Delay in payment to contractors impedes pre-monsoon works

Hyderabad: The non-payment of bills of previous works to contractors is impinging the pre-monsoon works in the city. Further, the contractors are ignoring the tender process called by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation as many of them have not received the bills for works which they have carried out earlier.

A few months ago, the civic body had called for tenders for the construction of open canals and drainage works. However, not a single contractor had reacted to it. And now after six months, the Municipal Corporation has again called tenders for the same works. This time too, there has been no response from the contractors.

When The Hans India spoke to a few contractors, they said that they were unable to take up works as the GHMC had not cleared the bills of works carried out previously. The civic body is yet to clear pending bills to the tune of Rs 1,000 crore. Further, hike in prices of construction material has also made the tenders costly for the contractors.

One of the GHMC contractors, Mohan Reddy said, "We have submitted the bills of previous works carried out last year to the GHMC, but not received the payment yet."

He also alleged that the GHMC was still following the prices of 2020, and post-pandemic there has been a sharp increase in prices of construction material. "The GHMC officials even after bidding twice have not increased the price of tender. Even after third bidding also, the authorities fail to hike the price."

Surender Singh, general secretary, GHMC Contractors Association said, "People as well as the GHMC suffer if contractors do not carry out works. Currently, 339 tenders have been submitted by the GHMC, of which, 181 have been called for tenders. If the works need to be done before the monsoon, the GHMC has to increase the price and immediately complete the tender calling process by clearing the previous bills of all contractors."

Adding that all monsoon preparation works like canal construction, drainage, desilting of nalas and others were pending in the city, he said that the drainage works which are supposed to be completed before the monsoon starts have not yet begun in many areas.