Contractors’ associations staged a protest in Nashik on Tuesday over pending bills worth more than Rs 90,000 crore. Alleging fraud by the state government, they have begun a three-day agitation outside the Public Works Department (PWD) office. On Thursday, Aug 21, the protesters staged a symbolic funeral procession of the government to register their anger.
According to the associations, contractors across Maharashtra are yet to receive nearly Rs 90,000 crore in dues from different government departments despite repeated follow-ups. Aggrieved over the delays, Nashik-based contractors began their protest outside the PWD office on Aug 19.
On Thursday, as part of the agitation, they carried out a mock funeral procession at the PWD’s main entrance, drawing the attention of the administration.
The protesters alleged that instead of announcing new projects, the government must first settle old dues and not award contracts without financial planning. They pointed out that in 2024, contractors had launched a similar protest for Rs 40,000 crore in pending bills, but the situation has worsened.
Several contractors and their organisations have joined the Nashik protest. They have vowed to continue until their demands are met. Meanwhile, the district administration has stepped up measures to ensure the stir remains peaceful and expressed hope of a resolution through talks.
