PWD dues stand at Rs 18,000 crore, says minister Shivendraraje Bhosale

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Shivendraraje Bhosale, the public works department minister, on Thursday said state govt had pending dues of around Rs 18,000 crore to contractors, but said the amount is "not very large" and will be cleared soon through budgetary provisions.Addressing concerns over mounting unpaid bills during his visit to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Bhosale said state govt has already released Rs 27,000 crore towards dues in the past year. "Around Rs 18,000 crore is still pending, but it is not an unmanageable figure. We are making efforts to allocate funds and clear payments at the earliest," he said.Contractors across Maharashtra staged protests in several districts, alleging a severe fund crunch in the PWD. Responding to the agitation, the minister said protests are the contractors' "right", even as he assured them that govt is working to resolve the issue.He dismissed claims that PWD liabilities have ballooned to Rs 70,000 crore. "Some estimates wrongly include water supply-related payments. The actual pending dues of the PWD stand at Rs 18,000 crore," he clarified.On infrastructure expansion, Bhosale said proposals were sent to the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) to secure funding for developing nearly 1,500 km of roads in the state. He stressed that the funds would not be distributed based on political constituencies, but would be used for projects that boosted economic activity."The focus will be on roads that connect key cities, industrial zones, and tourism destinations. These projects are aimed at strengthening the state's economic cycle," he said.Bhosale said planning is underway for the Sambhajinagar-Shirur road project, with discussions focused on finalising its alignment. He said a new road connecting the Shendra and Bidkin industrial areas near Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar would also be taken up by the department.Reviewing ongoing works, Bhosale warned against compromising on construction quality and said projects found to be substandard would be redone by the same contractors. "There will be no leniency on quality. Contractors have been instructed to adhere strictly to standards," he said.He added that for certain projects, contractors would be responsible for maintenance for up to 10 years, a move aimed at ensuring durability and accountability in public infrastructure development.Get real-time updates and result insights on the CBSE 12 Result 2026.