No Harassment of Road Contractors over Material Permits: Komatireddy

Sand, soil and metal are essential for road construction, the Minister said, adding that it was unfair to spare those involved in illegal mining while taking coercive action against small and genuine contractors.

Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, along with Mines and Geology Minister Dr G. Vivek Venkataswamy, held a review meeting at the Secretariat on Friday to discuss the problems faced by road contractors in obtaining mining-related permissions.

Representatives of the Contractors Association brought several issues faced by contractors to the Ministers’ notice. The Ministers observed that imposing penalties amounting to 10 times the value of the material on small contractors executing road works was not justified.

Komatireddy urged Minister Vivek Venkataswamy to take action against the official allegedly responsible for the circumstances that led to the suicide of contractor Srinivas Reddy.

Describing the imposition of a Rs.54-crore penalty over a Rs.5-crore issue as atrocious, Komatireddy said contractors were making payments as stipulated in their agreements. “It is not fair for the Mines department to harass small contractors,” he said.

The R&B Minister said the State government had taken up road construction works under the Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM) with the objective of developing high-quality, model roads across Telangana.

“We have launched the HAM road works with great fanfare under the leadership of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy. Our goal is to complete the road works by August 2028,” Komatireddy said.

Responding positively to the issues raised by Komatireddy, Minister Vivek Venkataswamy directed Mines department officials to take appropriate action.