VMC contractors demand release of pending bills

​Vijayawada: Municipal contractors boycotted the execution of development works on the third day on Saturday protesting against not releasing the pending bills related to the development works. Municipal contractors play a key role in execution of civil works. Till now, the dues are amounted to Rs 121 crore. With the rising prices of cement, iron and building material, the contractors are not able to do the development works as pending dues crossed Rs 120 crore.

Krishna Pushkaralu bills worth Rs 76 crore are still pending. The contractors have been asking the civic body to pay the pending bills for two years. The state government hosted Krishna Pushkaralu in 2016 with fanfare. The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation, irrigation and endowment departments played a key role in successful conduct of pushkaralu.

Vice-president of the Vijayawada Municipal Contractors Association V Ankeswara Rao said Rs 18 crore bills related to general fund works, Rs 20 crore related to JNNURM works (BRTS Road), Rs.76 crore belongs to Krishna Pushkaralu works and other bills are pending since two years.

He said Municipal Commissioner J Nivas on April 12 assured that he would release Rs 21.40 crore in three days and urged to call off the strike. Ankeswara Rao said the contractors would continue strike till the VMC pays the pending bills.

With the continuation of strike, 150 development works in the city were stalled. He said the VMC can clear bills partially with the Rs 33 crore BPS funds received by the state government. He said scores of small contractors are suffering due to delay in payment of bills.

Mayor Koneru Sridhar recently announced in the VMC Council meeting that the financial condition of the civic body is improving since the TDP came to power four years ago. He said the municipal corporation would release the bills so that the development works continue as usual. Now, the contractors are asking the VMC to resolve their problems as early as possible.