Srinagar, May 12: Members of the Jammu and Kashmir Contractors Coordination Committee (JKCCC) staged a peaceful protest on Tuesday at the Chief Engineering Complex in Rajbagh, Srinagar, demanding the immediate release of pending payments exceeding 1500 crore under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM).
The protest was led by the committee’s chairman Ghulam Jeelani Purza, who alleged that payments for works completed since September 2024 have been withheld by the government. He said the delay has pushed contractors, labourers, suppliers, and other workers associated with the projects into severe financial distress.
Purza stated that contractors have worked across Jammu and Kashmir to ensure implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission, which aims to provide tap water connections to every household. However, the non-release of dues has created an economic crisis for thousands of families dependent on this sector. He warned that if payments are not cleared before Eid-ul-Adha, all ongoing JJM projects in the Valley would be suspended.
Contractors from several districts participated in the protest, expressing strong resentment over the delayed payments. They said many contractors had mortgaged their properties and taken bank loans to complete the projects on time, but are now struggling to repay debts due to non-clearance of bills.
Representatives from different contractor associations described the situation as deeply unfortunate, saying it was painful for contractors to be forced to protest for their legitimate dues, especially ahead of a major religious festival.
They further cautioned that if the issue remains unresolved, all ongoing works under the Jal Jeevan Mission and the Public Health Engineering (PHE) department across the region will be stopped indefinitely.
The protesting members urged the administration to take immediate action and release the pending payments to prevent further hardship to thousands of families connected with the sector.
