Munish Sood
MANDI: Amid growing financial distress in the infrastructure sector in Himachal, the Mandi-Kullu Contractors Welfare Association has issued a strong ultimatum to the Himachal Pradesh government.
During a press briefing held at the PWD Rest House in Sundernagar, association president Keshav Nayak demanded that the state government and the Public Works Department (PWD) Minister issue a white paper detailing the status of pending contractor payments.
The association claimed that over Rs 1,500 crore in dues —spanning civil, electrical and mechanical projects — remains unpaid. Of this, contractor bills worth more than Rs 900 crore are still pending despite repeated requests and official notices submitted to the department.
If no funds, say it publicly, contractors urge government
Calling for transparency, the association challenged the government to openly declare its financial condition if it is unable to honour its obligations.
“If the government does not have the funds to make payments, it must come out with a white paper. Remaining silent is not acceptable,” said Nayak.
The association expressed concern over the prolonged delay in disbursements, warning that the situation has pushed many contractors to the brink of bankruptcy.
Contractors threaten extreme measures
The association warned that contractors may be forced to take the path of self-immolation if payments are not released soon. The outburst underscores the intense pressure being felt by hundreds of individuals and small businesses who rely on timely payments from government contracts.
“We have families to feed, loans to repay, and teams to support. If this situation continues, we will have no option but to take drastic steps,” said a visibly distressed association member.
Call for urgent meeting with Chief Minister
The association has called for an immediate meeting with Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to resolve the matter. They emphasised that a solution must be reached before the situation spirals further out of control.
Infrastructure projects at risk
The delay in payments is already beginning to affect ongoing construction projects across the state. Several initiatives under various development schemes have reportedly slowed down or come to a halt due to a lack of funds. If the payment crisis continues, the state’s infrastructure growth may suffer long-term damage.
Key demands of the association:
• Immediate release of over ₹900 crore in pending contractor bills.
• Publication of a government white paper explaining the delay.
• Transparent timeline and mechanism for disbursing future payments.
• Urgent dialogue with the Chief Minister to chart a constructive way forward.
