The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Contractors Association has appealed to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to ensure the BBMP releases payment for bills for ongoing and completed construction works in Bengaluru. The Association has said that bills from 2021 amounting to Rs 2,500 crore are pending clearance from the civic body. The Congress government in Karnataka has sought time to review the pending bills before they are cleared.

An allegation by the Karnataka Contractors Association that the previous BJP government was demanding a 40% commission to clear bills was one of the key poll issues of the Congress' election campaign in the state. The Congress won 135 out of 224 seats in the elections, and the new government headed by Siddaramaiah decided to withhold the payments to contractors until they are reviewed.

KT Manjunath, President, BBMP Contractors' Association, speaking to TNM, said that more than 1,000 contractors in the city were affected by the Congress' decision. He said that the association is planning to seek an appointment with Siddaramaiah to ensure payments on pending bills are made. "Bills for construction works done from 2021 are pending. The bills add up to Rs 2,500 crore," said KT Manjunath.

Payments to contractors were withheld from May 6 due to the elections and the status quo will continue after the elections until further orders are posted. KT Manjunath further said that Rs 600 crore received by the BBMP from the state government under the Amrit Nagarothana scheme has also been withheld. Several of the ongoing construction works in Bengaluru come under this scheme.

The Congress has maintained that withholding the payments is routine whenever a new government is formed. The BBMP Contractors Association had earlier accused the BBMP of delay and disparity in the payment of bills in January. The Association had then sought the BJP government in the state to ensure that bills were paid.