Bhubaneswar Contractors Demand Payment Amid Protests: What’s Next for BMC?

Contractors Protest Over Unpaid Bills in Bhubaneswar

ARINDAM GANGULY, OP

Bhubaneswar: On Wednesday, contractors associated with the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) gathered at the civic office to voice their grievances regarding unpaid bills that have accumulated over the past six months. In response, BMC officials promised that 50% of the outstanding payments would be settled within two days. This commitment was made during a meeting that included the Mayor and the Commissioner, along with representatives from the contractors' association. Dilip Kumar Jena, the secretary of the All Odisha Contractors’ Association, stated, “We presented our memorandum to the Mayor and Commissioner, and after a detailed discussion, they assured us that half of the dues would be cleared shortly.”

Earlier that day, numerous association members held a peaceful demonstration at the BMC office, expressing their concerns about the prolonged non-payment of their bills. In a letter (Ref: C/A-234 & C/A235 dated 12/06/2025), they highlighted the financial strain caused by the delays in payments for completed projects. Despite facing challenges such as rising costs, transport strikes, and adverse weather, they managed to finish all tasks on time. However, the letter pointed out that the civic body had unjustifiably delayed payments.

The contractors also brought to light the issue of unreturned security deposits, some of which have been pending for over four years, despite a prior directive from a former BMC Commissioner to release them within six months of final payments. “This ongoing delay is attributed to negligence by certain BMC officials,” the association claimed. While the BMC's promise provided some relief to the contractors, they stressed the importance of receiving full and timely payments in the future to prevent disruptions in infrastructure and civic development projects.