Karnataka - Bangalore   

BMP contractors begin strike

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE, MARCH 22. Members of the Karnataka State Contractors' Association (KSCA) began their indefinite strike on Monday. Except for work on the National College flyover and the Rajajinagar grade separator, all other civil projects came to a halt in the city.

The contractors are protesting against the non-clearance of bills amounting to Rs. 89 crore by the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) in the past 11 months. They staged a demonstration in front of the BMP head office on Monday and shouted slogans demanding "immediate payment." Although the BMP Commissioner, M.R. Sreenivasa Murthy, assured the contractors that payment for June and July would be released immediately, the contractors refused to call off the strike. While the association members claimed that the strike was "successful", the BMP officials said several contractors executing major projects had not joined the strike.

"The Commissioner has promised to clear bills pending for June and July. He has also promised to clear two months' backlog every month. But we want him to pay us for at least five months. I will meet Mr. Murthy on Tuesday and try to explain our stand to him," D. Kempanna, association general secretary, said. The project contractors had promised to join the strike from Wednesday as "the concrete mix kept ready for use would go waste," he said and added that they planned to take out a rally on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the city unit of the Janata Dal (Secular) has extended its support to the contractors' strike.

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