Odisha contractors stage protest in Bhubaneswar over ‘irregular’ tender policies, warn of indefinite agitation

The members of the Odisha Contractors’ Association Joint Forum staged a large-scale protest in the PMG area of Bhubaneswar on Friday, alleging irregularities in the state government’s tender policies and demanding implementation of their eight-point charter of demands.

Thousands of contractors reportedly participated in the demonstration, raising slogans and urging the government to review recent changes in the tender process.

Allegations of Manipulation

The association alleged that modifications introduced in the tender system could compromise transparency in the awarding of construction-related works.

While government contracts are typically awarded through a tender process to ensure fairness and transparency, the Joint Forum claimed that certain new provisions may enable manipulation during tender submission.

The association further alleged that the revised rules are structured in a manner that could prevent genuinely eligible contractors from benefiting and allow engineers to favour selected individuals.

Demand for Intervention

Opposing the alleged changes, the Joint Forum has written to Members of the Legislative Assembly, seeking their intervention and urging fulfilment of its eight-point demands.

One of the protesters said the association is demanding the abolition of specific policies and has called for preference to be given to Odia contractors over non-Odia bidders in government projects.

The association warned that if its demands are not addressed, the agitation may continue for an indefinite period.

Police Deployment at Protest Site

Police personnel were deployed at the PMG area to maintain order, and visuals showed officers pushing back protesters during the demonstration.

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The association maintained that the protest is aimed at safeguarding the interests of local contractors and ensuring fairness and transparency in the state’s tendering process.