Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], August 13 (ANI): Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday replied to Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari’s letter over alleged attacks on engineers and contractors in Jalandhar and Ludhiana and said that the local police have arrested the accused in both cases.
He further conveyed the reasons behind the attacks and said that the first incident was the outcome of the over-excavation of land by the NHAI contractor, while the second incident was the outcome of the non-payment of financial dues by the contractor to its sub-contractor.
The letter written by the Punjab CM Mann reads, “In both the cases referred to by you, the local Police promptly registered the FIRs under relevant provisions of law. Further, in both these cases, arrests have been made. However, on the investigation, it has been found that one incident was the outcome of the over-excavation of land by the NHAI concessionaire/contractor. The second incident was the outcome of non-payment of financial dues by the concessionaire/contractor to its sub- contractor. Thus, both cases stemmed from causes attributable to the concessionaire/contractor.”
It further added, “A detailed report of special DGP (Law & Order) is enclosed herewith. Irrespective of all this, the Punjab Police, being one of the finest forces is committed to taking care of the safety concerns of NHAI. Local Police have been directed to deploy patrolling teams in the area to maintain law and order.”
Earlier on August 10, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, on Saturday wrote a letter to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann over alleged attacks on engineers and contractors in Jalandhar and Ludhiana.
Gadkari wrote in his letter, “I have been informed about two untoward incidents that occurred recently on the Delhi-Katra expressway projects. In one incident in Jalandhar District, the Engineer of the Contractor was brutally assaulted. Although FIR has been registered in this regard, strong action is required to be taken against the perpetrators. In another incident in Ludhiana District, the Project camp of the Contractor of the Delhi-Katra Expressway was attacked by miscreants who also threatened the Engineers to burn the project camp and their staff alive. However, an FIR has still not been filed and the miscreants have not been arrested despite written requests by NHAI officers.”
He further requested that the state government should take corrective measures immediately. File FIRs and take strong action against the perpetrators in order to prevent such incidents in the future and to restore the confidence of NHAI officers and staff of the concessionaires.
“It is pertinent to note that due to pending issues related to land acquisition and the prevailing law and order conditions, concessionaires have requested to foreclose contracts and have raised claims against NHAI. If the situation does not improve, NHAI will have no other option but to cancel/ terminate eight other severely affected projects with a total length of 293 km costing 14,288 crore,” Gadkari added in his letter to CM Mann. (ANI)
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