Hyderabad, August 7: Roads and Buildings Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy has directed Mines Department officials not to harass genuine road contractors over material permits and urged them to enforce mining regulations fairly while taking strict action against illegal mining.
The minister issued the directions during a review meeting held at the Secretariat on Thursday. Mines and Geology Minister Dr G. Vivek Venkataswamy also attended the meeting.
Komatireddy Seeks Fair Mining Rules for Contractors
Representatives of the Mining Contractors Association told the ministers that contractors were facing difficulties in obtaining permits for sand, soil and metal required for road construction. They also raised concerns over penalties imposed during project execution.
Komatireddy said small contractors who comply with contractual terms should not be targeted. However, he stressed that illegal mining activities must be dealt with firmly.
The ministers observed that imposing penalties worth ten times the value of construction material was unjustified for genuine contractors.
Komatireddy also referred to the case involving contractor Srinivas Reddy and urged Mines Minister Vivek Venkataswamy to take action against the official allegedly linked to the circumstances preceding the contractor’s suicide.
Describing a ₹54 crore penalty over a ₹5 crore issue as excessive, Komatireddy said contractors were making payments in accordance with their agreements.
The minister said Telangana has launched major road projects under the Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM) under the leadership of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy. He added that the government aims to complete the road projects by August 2028.
Responding to the concerns, Vivek Venkataswamy directed Mines Department officials to examine the issues and take appropriate action.
MLC Damodar Reddy, MLA Megha Reddy, TGMDC Managing Director Anudeep Durishetty, R&B Chief Engineer B.V. Rao and representatives of the Mining Contractors Association attended the meeting.
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