Contractors working on Rambagh-Jehangir Chowk fly over go on strike

Srinagar: Construction work on Rambagh-Jehangir Chowk fly over has been disrupted as the contractors and labourers have gone on strike due to non-payment of wages.
Reports said that contractors and labourers have refused to carry on with their work as they have been demanding the payment that has not been released by the nodal agency Economic and Reconstruction Agency (ERA).
The contractors and labourers hired by Simplex Infrastructure Pvt Limited have been demanding compensation of losses they suffered in 2014 floods. Sources said that the nodal agency ERA had assured the contractors that they will be compensated after proper verification, but till date no payment has been made to them.
“Leave aside the compensation of flood losses, even the payment for the tough work we have been doing has not been released,” said a contractor.
Reports said that no work was carried out on the flyover on Thursday and if the strike prolongs, then yet again the flyover will miss the deadline.
The 3.94 km express corridor, coming up at cost of Rs 247 crores, was scheduled for completion in March 2017 but to 2014 devastating floods and the 2016 mass uprising, the work on the flyover was disrupted for months together.Once completed, the flyover would reduce the journey time from Jehangir Chowk to Rambagh from 28 minutes to just 2.5 minutes apart, reduce traffic congestion in the area and provide quick access to Airport from Lal Chowk. The Asian Development Bank funded project is being executed by ERA with Simplex Infra Limited as project contractor.
Mr Satish Razdan, Chief Engineer ERA declined to comment on the issue. “I am not authorized to speak on the (strike) issue,” he said.
Chief Executive Officer ERA, Mr Vinod Sharma said the contractors have been demanding the compensation for the losses they suffered in 2014 floods. “We have been verifying the facts and trying to assess the quantum of losses, however, ERA has paid everything to contractors for the work they have done so far,” Sharma said.