PWD gets less than 20% of required funds in supplementary budget to clear contractor dues, faces major setback
The supplementary budget, totalling Rs 57,509 crore, was tabled by deputy chief minister and finance minister
Ajit Pawar
on the opening day of the state legislature's monsoon session on Monday. Of the total amount, Rs 17,465 crore was allocated to the urban development department, which experts said was primarily driven by the upcoming municipal elections.
Despite PWD receiving the second-highest allocation, officials said Rs 9,068 crore was grossly inadequate.
"This amount won't suffice to pay dues or carry out key ongoing works across the state," said a senior PWD official.
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The recent collapse of the Indrayani river bridge in Pune district has exacerbated the crisis, prompting state govt to order structural audits and reconstruction of ageing infrastructure. Following a review meeting chaired by the chief secretary, PWD was tasked with assessing the condition of over 16,000 bridges across Maharashtra, with around 400 requiring detailed audits by private agencies.
This effort would necessitate significant funding, adding to the department's financial strain.
"We hoped for a much higher allocation (in the supplementary budget) to handle these safety mandates and project completions. While the review will be conducted by PWD engineers, the actual audit will have to be carried by an agency," another official said.
The department is now struggling to prioritise between emergency audits and clearing payments of contractors, who continue to demand settlement of long-pending dues. The PWD officials said continued delay in payments could not only stall critical infrastructure works but also lead to legal penalties. "If courts intervene, the state may face hefty penalties. Immediate and sufficient fund allocation is essential to avoid further setbacks," another official said.
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