Ghaziabad: Contractors working with the Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation (GMC) have expressed frustration over being overlooked by the Uttar Pradesh government, which recently issued directives to compensate contractors of the Public Works Department (PWD) and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for the steep increase in bitumen prices. The GMC contractors’ association met with cabinet minister and Sahibabad MLA Sunil Sharma on Thursday, urging immediate intervention to resume stalled road repair work across the city.
Impact of Global Bitumen Shortage
A global shortage of bitumen, exacerbated by the ongoing crisis in West Asia, has disrupted repair work on 112 kilometers of roads under GMC jurisdiction. With the monsoon season just weeks away, this delay threatens to cause waterlogging and infrastructure damage in low-lying areas. The contractors have stopped work because the current price of bitumen, ranging between Rs 76,000 and Rs 82,000 per metric tonne, is significantly higher than the Rs 47,000 per metric tonne at the time of tender issuance in February, leading to projected losses of up to 30%.
Contractors’ Appeal to Government
Sanjiv Tyagi, a GMC contractor and spokesperson for the Hotmix Plant Association, stated, “If we proceed with work now, we will incur a loss of up to 30%. The price of bitumen has nearly doubled since February when the tender and work order were issued. Consequently, contractors have halted work across the city.” Over 20 contractors have been awarded repair contracts worth Rs 200 crore for 85 road stretches totaling 112 kilometers. Failure to repair these stretches before the rains could lead to severe waterlogging and disruption for residents.
Government Response
Minister Sunil Sharma informed the Times of India that he is scheduled to meet Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in Lucknow on Friday. “I expect a fresh government order to be issued regarding bitumen rates,” Sharma said. He anticipates that GMC and other municipal agencies will receive some relief. The VG-40 grade of bitumen, a viscosity-graded material resistant to hardness and temperature changes, is used for road repairs. It acts as an adhesive binding construction materials. Over 88% of petroleum products are sourced from West Asia, and the ongoing crisis has disrupted supply chains, causing both a shortage and a sharp rise in prices.
