Punjab Hot Mix Association Flags Disruption in Roadworks, Seeks Urgent Government Intervention
Punjab: The Punjab Hot Mix Association led by its President, Tara Singh has expressed serious concern over the Punjab Govt's failure to formulate a concrete mining policy, disruption in bitumen supplies and substantial pending payments to contractors, alleging that these issues have severely affected road construction and development works across the state.
The Association alleged that despite being in office for four and a half years, the government has failed to formulate a concrete mining policy, resulting in significant losses to the state exchequer and adversely affecting Punjab’s development. With all stone crushers in the state currently closed, the supply of essential construction materials, including stone, gravel and sand has been disrupted and brought road construction and other development works to a standstill. The Association criticised the government for failing to address the issue despite its serious implications for the state’s infrastructure.
The Association further alleged that the Mittal refinery at Raman Mandi, Bathinda, has stopped supplying bitumen to Punjab as part of what it termed a deliberate conspiracy, resulting in the suspension of road works across the state. It claimed that nearly 90 per cent of the refinery’s bitumen supply is being directed to Uttar Pradesh, while the Punjab Government has failed to intervene. The Association urged the government to take immediate steps to restore supplies and ensure the uninterrupted execution of road projects.
Expressing concern over the financial position of the government, the Association alleged that large-scale road construction works have been launched across Punjab during the election year despite the government having less than 20 percent of the funds required to complete them. It further claimed that payments due to contractors for work already completed have remained pending for the past four months, severely affecting their financial position and bringing several road projects close to a standstill.
The Association also highlighted the issue of increased bitumen prices, stating that the rates initially provided for road works awarded under the government’s policy were substantially lower than subsequent market rates. According to the Association, officials of the Punjab Mandi Board and the Public Works Department had verbally assured contractors, through what was described as a “gentleman’s promise”, that the additional cost arising from increased bitumen prices would be reimbursed. However, the Association alleged that the government failed to honour this assurance after the work was completed, causing individual contractors losses ranging from ₹1 crore to ₹4 crore. It pointed out that payments covering increased bitumen costs had been made in the case of National Highway projects and demanded similar relief for contractors working on state projects.
The Association further alleged that the Raman refinery stops supplying bitumen to Punjab eight to ten days before announcing price increases, placing contractors in the state at a disadvantage. It expressed concern that the Punjab Government had failed to address this alleged practice and called for immediate intervention to ensure fair and uninterrupted supplies.
The Punjab Hot Mix Association, under the leadership of President Shri Tara Singh, has urged the state government to formulate a clear mining policy, reopen stone crushers, ensure regular bitumen supplies, clear pending payments and reimburse contractors for the additional costs arising from increased bitumen prices. The Association warned that without timely intervention, road construction and essential development works across Punjab would continue to suffer
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