Nagpur: The Nagpur bench of Bombay high court on Monday issued notice to the Maharashtra government and sought a detailed report after contractors alleged that the public works department (PWD) has not cleared bills worth crores. The Nagpur Contractors Association filed an intervention application in an ongoing PIL concerning cement road works in the city. A division bench of Justices Urmila Joshi-Phalke and Nivedita Mehta heard the matter.According to the contractors, prolonged delays in clearing payments have caused severe financial strain, forcing them to halt several ongoing govt projects. The application stated that contractors earlier attempted to secure their dues through various democratic means, including sit-ins, protest marches and hunger strikes. With no resolution forthcoming, they moved the court seeking intervention.Taking note of the submissions, the court directed the PWD to furnish complete details of the pending payments. The next hearing in the matter has been scheduled for May 8. Advocate Nikhil Kirtane appeared on behalf of the contractors.In a related submission, the petitioners also raised concerns over the condition of cement roads in the city. They sought the appointment of a committee under judicial supervision or a third-party audit to assess the alleged deterioration.Responding to this, the court directed the petitioners to submit photographs highlighting road-related issues during the next hearing. Advocate Parvez Mirza represented the petitioners in this aspect of the case.
