The New Indian Express         04.09.2013

In order to clear contractors’ bills, the Kochi Corporation will take a `10-crore loan from a private bank. “The state government has given its approval for the same,” said Mayor Tony Chammany on the sidelines of council meeting on Tuesday. Contractors have threatened to go on an indefinite strike if the Corporation fails to clear the arrears by September 10.

The Mayor had promised to clear the bills before the deadline, as the indefinite strike was likely to hit various ongoing construction works in the Corporation area, including roads and drains, almost all development initiatives would come to a grinding halt. The contractors had put forward one and only solution to avert the indefinite strike, that is to pay at least `10 crore of the `18-crore bills, approved by the Corporation but remaining unpaid. The contractors had already stopped undertaking any new projects because of this tussle with the Corporation, something which puts various development works in Corporation divisions and their respective councillors on a tight spot.