Contractors threaten to stop Games work

After being on a tool-down strike since July 21 for non-payment of their dues by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, the municipal contractors are now threatening to stop work on Commonwealth Games-related projects if their dues are not settled by the civic body.

According to Delhi Municipal Contractors' Association president Sunil Vohra, about 1,000 contractors, including about 70 working on Games-related projects, would also be staging a dharna at the MCD headquarters in Town Hall on Wednesday to press their demands and submit a memorandum to Municipal Commissioner K.S. Mehra.

“We had been on strike since July 21 but had kept the Games works outside the purview keeping national interests in mind. While we have not been paid our dues amounting to Rs.650 crore for the past 18 months, many Games contractors have also not got payment for five months. We want to send a message that work on the Games-projects can also be stopped if our dues are not cleared,” added Mr. Vohra.

No paucity of funds

The cash-strapped MCD is struggling to make payments to project contractors as well as give arrears of the Sixth Pay Commission to its employees. However, Mr. Vohra said the civic body had received Rs.2,100 crore from various sources recently and should pay the contractors using those funds.