Contractors protest in Bengaluru: Government faces ₹37,000 crore pending bills challenge

Freedom Park witnesses tense dialogue between contractors and Karnataka ministers over delayed payments. DCM D.K. Shivakumar and Minister Satish Jarakiholi assure discussions, bond settlements, and resolution.

Bengaluru’s Freedom Park became the center of attention on Friday as contractors staged a protest against the state government over outstanding payments totaling ₹37,000 crore. The contractors urged immediate action, highlighting delays in payments across multiple departments and expressing the hardships faced during previous government tenures.

The protest saw the direct involvement of Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and Public Works Minister Satish Jarakiholi, who engaged in open discussions with the contractors on the Freedom Park stage. Contractors insisted that the government had failed to release payments for work already completed, emphasizing that even during past administrations, many projects were executed without receiving due compensation.

Contractors’ association president R. Manjunath detailed the pending amounts:

•    Public Works Department: ₹8,000 crore
•    Water Resources Department: ₹13,000 crore
•    RDPR (Rural Development and Panchayat Raj): ₹3,800 crore
•    Housing Department: ₹2,800 crore
•    Labour Department: ₹2,000 crore
•    Greater Bengaluru Authority (BBMP): ₹1,600 crore

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This collective demand sums to ₹37,000 crore, with contractors pressing that the government immediately release these dues.

In response, DCM D.K. Shivakumar acknowledged the contractors’ grievances and clarified the government’s position. He noted that of the ₹37,000 crore claimed, ₹18,000 crore falls under departments currently managed by his administration, and the remaining amounts were still under reconciliation.

 Shivakumar assured that pending payments would be cleared via bond arrangements and urged contractors to engage in dialogue rather than issue public statements prematurely. He reminded them that even during earlier administrations under Yediyurappa and Bommai, projects were executed despite payment delays.

Minister Satish Jarakiholi emphasized that a large portion of the pending dues, approximately ₹32,000 crore, were commitments carried over from the previous government, but acknowledged that contractors, including those working under the current government, faced challenges. He assured that meetings with the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister would be held soon to resolve the issue in a socially just manner, stressing that the government is committed to protecting contractors without compromising social equity.