ARINDAM GANGULY, OP
Bhubaneswar: Contractors of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) staged a protest at the civic body office here Wednesday, alleging non-payment of their bills for the last six months. The BMC, however, assured that 50 per cent of the pending bills will be cleared within the next two days. The assurance came during a meeting between association representatives and top BMC officials, including the Commissioner and the Mayor Wednesday. Sharing details, secretary of All Odisha Contractors’ Association Dilip Kumar Jena said, “We met the Bhubaneswar Mayor and Commissioner and submitted our memorandum. After a thorough discussion, they assured us that half of the arrears will be cleared within two days.”
Earlier in the day, several members of the association staged a peaceful protest at the BMC office here, highlighting their plight over non-payment of bills for the last six months. In a letter (Ref: C/A-234 & C/A235 dated 12/06/2025), they cited financial distress caused by delays in payments against completed projects. Despite challenges like rising costs, transport strikes and adverse weather conditions, we have completed all the work within the stipulated time. However, there was an unjustifiable delay in payments by the civic body authorities,” the letter stated.
Also Read: Schools in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack to remain shut June 20 ahead of PM Modi’s visit
The association also drew the attention of the authorities to the non-release of security deposits—some pending for over four years—despite a previous order from a former BMC Commissioner mandating their release within six months of final payments. “This ongoing delay is due to negligence by certain BMC officials,” the association alleged. While the BMC’s assurance brought some relief to the contractors, they emphasised the need for full and timely payments going forward to avoid disruption in infrastructure and civic development work.
