Rs 1275 Crore in Pending Payments, Jammu and Kashmir Contractors Sound Alarm Over Treasury Delays

SRINAGAR: The Jammu & Kashmir Contractors Coordination Committee (JKCCC) has raised alarm over a severe financial and administrative crisis afflicting the Union Territory’s contractor community, with pending payments exceeding Rs 1275 crore across key development schemes. In a strongly worded statement, JKCCC Chairman Ghulam Jeelani Purza urged the newly elected J&K government to urgently intervene and restore order to what he described as a paralysing situation.

Jeelani Purza said that three interlinked problems, delayed treasury clearances, flawed restructuring of the Roads & Buildings (R&B) Department, and non-release of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) payments, are pushing thousands of contractors to the brink. He noted that payment delays, which were once cleared within days under the previous LG administration, now stretch over several months since the new government took charge. “Bills submitted to the treasury months ago are still pending. These are not personal expenses—we owe this money to labourers, vendors, and suppliers,” he said, warning that the disruption is breaking the backbone of the local development chain.

Purza made a direct appeal to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah—who also holds the finance portfolio—along with Financial Commissioner Shaleen Kabra and Principal Secretary of the Public Works Department, Anil Kumar Singh, to resolve the deadlock. “How can the government speak of development when the financial pipeline is clogged?” he asked.

The Chairman also voiced deep concern over the reorganisation of the R&B Department, calling it a textbook example of mismanagement. Despite the announcement of new divisions and postings of Chief and Executive Engineers, Purza said there is no infrastructure or technical manpower in place. He demanded the immediate appointment of one Chief Engineer each for Kashmir and Jammu provinces, following the functional model adopted by departments like Irrigation and PHE. “Currently, one engineer holds multiple charges across Central, North and South Kashmir, as well as ERA. This kind of administrative overloading is simply unsustainable,” he stated.

He added that both former Chief Engineers of PMGSY and R&B (Central Kashmir) have retired, and the government has not made permanent replacements, instead continuing with temporary in-charge postings. “This governance vacuum is adding to the chaos,” he said.

Purza also revealed that Rs 175 crore in payments under the R&B Department have remained unpaid since 2017, compounding the financial stress. More alarming, however, is the Rs 1100 crore in pending dues under the Jal Jeevan Mission, where contractors have already laid pipelines, constructed filtration plants, and completed major civil works. Yet, funds remain locked pending a final report submission to the government.

He called on the CM and senior bureaucrats to ensure the JJM report is finalised without further delay. “Until this happens, development across Jammu and Kashmir will remain in limbo,” he warned.

With over Rs 1275 crore in unpaid bills and contractors facing mounting debts, the JKCCC Chairman’s appeal underscores a critical moment for governance in Jammu & Kashmir. Without immediate action, what was envisioned as a post-election push for accelerated development could instead face an unprecedented infrastructure logjam.