Komatireddy Venkat Reddy asks Mines officials not to harass road contractors

Roads and Buildings Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy directed Mines department officials not to harass genuine road contractors over mining permissions. During a review meeting, he also questioned steep penalties and urged action against officials linked to the circumstances surrounding a contractor's death.

Hyderabad: Roads and Buildings Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy has directed Mines department officials not to harass contractors over the permissions required to source metal and other construction materials for road projects.

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. Along with Mines and Geology Minister G Vivek Venkataswamy, Komatireddy held a review meeting at the Secretariat here on Friday. The Ministers discussed the problems faced by road contractors in obtaining mining-related permissions.

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Representatives of the Contractors Association brought several issues faced by them 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 Vivek Venkataswamy to take action against officials responsible for the circumstances that allegedly 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 the R&B Minister, Vivek Venkataswamy directed Mines department officials to take appropriate action.