Already struggling to meet the deadline, the Mansarovar-Chandpole Metro project has received a major setback.
More than a dozen vendors, who supply raw material for the construction of Metro elevated track, went on strike on Saturday and stopped the supply of raw material while demanding the dues of the payment.
After the intervention of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), the vendors ended the protest. But, they threatened for indefinite strike if the dues are not paid within a week as per the assurance.
According to the sources the vendors sat on a dharna at Mansarovar Casting yard in morning. They were demanding Rs5-6 crores payment which was due for six months on DSC Limited, a contractor hired by DMRC for the civil works including casting.
The payment was due for materials like sand, gravels and steel which are used for the casting works at Metro track. Also the payment is due for services like crushers and cranes.
The DSC, the sub contractor, has delayed the payment. It is the same contractor which has been removed by DMRC for delaying the civil works at Railway station and Sindhi Bus station sites. “The company (DSC) did not pay our payments for more than a half year. We cannot tolerate it anymore and therefore we sat on dharna,” said Deepak Choudhary, a vendor who owes Rs25 lakh for supplying sand.
“The DMRC officials promise us for the payment of dues within a week. If the promise is broken then we would go on indefinite strike for a long time stopping the supply of the construction material and services,” he added.
Atul Gadgil, chief general manager with the DMRC, intervened to end the vendor’s deadlock with the DSC. He held a meeting with the vendors and assured for timely payment and disposed the dues soon. Meanwhile, Gadgil also held responsible to DSC for delaying the payment.
src: Daily Bhaskar