Unpaid laborers stopped Flyover construction work

Bilal Bashir Bhat
Srinagar, April 12 (KNB): The laborers working for construction of Kashmir Valley’s one of the acclaimed project, Jahangir Chowk-Barzulla Flyover has been stopped in backdrop of the nonpayment from the last four months. The Jammu and Kashmir Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA) is an executing agency of the project which had outsourced the construction work of the project to Mumbai-based Simplex Infra Ltd.
Talking to Kashmir News Bureau (KNB) Wajahat Hussain a labor supplier for the contract said Non release of payment has forced us to stop work as the laborers are demanding their wages while we have to also pay the expenses, but the authorities are not releasing our payments, adding, they won’t resume work unless they are paid pending bills.
“Not only the issue is nonpayment of wages but we have been also forced for overwork, i.e. 12 hours a day which is clear violation of the labor laws,” Wajahat Hussain.
Pertinently, in past several times the work on Jahangir Chowk-Barzulla Flyover was stopped due to non-payment of wages to the laborers. The work on the project also remained halted for over five months due to unrest which resulted in fleeing of nonlocal workers.
The laborers also tried to protest over the nonpayment of their wages, however, police disrupted the move.
Tanveer Ahmad, an official of ERA talking to KNB said that the matter should be taken with the Simplex Infra Ltd as there is no delay in payment from ERA.
KNB when contacted the Simplex Infra Ltd Project Manager, Mr. Manoj Kumar, he said due to pending bills the payment was stopped to the laborers.
Farooq Ahmad Lone, C.E.O Jammu and Kashmir Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA) said he will look into the matter and assured to resolve the issue on priority basis.
Meanwhile, despite repeated calls Minister of Public works Mr. Naeem Akhtar didn’t pick the phone. (KNB)