Contractors and laborers who worked tirelessly on the project were forced off the site without being paid their wages. To make matters worse, they were also threatened by the company. Despite their efforts to raise the issue with the authorities, their complaints fell on deaf ears.
Frustrated and left with no other option, these workers have now taken to the streets once again, braving the city’s polluted weather to protest and demand their rightful dues.
In the national capital, Delhi, another case of massive fraud involving crores of rupees has surfaced, this time against Asian Construction Company. The incident occurred at the construction site of the Liver & Biliary Institute in Vasant Kunj
A major protest erupted at the construction site of the renowned Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS) hospital. The demonstrators alleged that the company handling the construction project committed fraud worth crores by cheating contractors, material suppliers, and laborers.
The hospital administration is overseeing the construction of a multi-story building for its staff. The government company NBCC was awarded the contract for the construction and subsequently floated a tender. The tender was taken up for ₹89 crores by a company named Neel Infra, under an agreement using the documents of another company, Asian Constructions. As part of the agreement, Neel Infra was to pay Asian Constructions 3% royalty and 2% GST.
Neel Infra started the work as per the contract but later alleged that Asian Constructions forcibly removed their employees and laborers from the construction site using bouncers, without issuing any prior notice. Moreover, Asian Constructions refused to pay the dues for the construction work already completed. This led Neel Infra and others to stage a protest at the site.
Upon receiving information about the protest, police from the Vasant Kunj station arrived at the scene. However, the protesters refused to disperse. The situation escalated, prompting the arrival of South ACP Satyajeet Sareen, who assured the protesters of appropriate action. Following this assurance, the demonstrators agreed to call off the protest.
