Title - Locals protest as firm abandons project without clearing dues

Katra : Locals from Katra, Agar, Reasi, Bakal, Gran Morh and Mari staged a protest at the Konkan Railway office Reasi. The protesters were demanding clearance of their liabilities pending with Apex Encon Projects Pvt Ltd (AEPPL). Apex Encon Projects Pvt Ltd is an Andhra-based company engaged for construction of tunnels on the Katra-Dharam railway section, which has abandoned the project without clearing liabilities of over Rs 2.60 crore of local labourers, contractors and suppliers.Official sources said as per one list available with the district administration Reasi, the liability of Apex Encon is to the tune of Rs 2.60 crore. However, there may be many other such cases as all the aggrieved persons may not have been able to reach the administration.Apex Encon, which has moved out of the project without making payments to different stakeholders, misled the workers, labourers, contractors and suppliers by sending a letter dated July 14, 2013 to Deputy Chief Engineer (Tunnels) KRCL Reasi mentioning that the payments as per the list will have to be made by KRCL. However, the KRCL informed the District Development Commissioner that neither funds or security nor the bills and claims of Apex Encon were available with KRCL, sources said.Raj Kumar, sarpanch of Gran Morh, who was among the protesters, said, "We were happy with the start of rail project in our area. Many of us have taken loan from different financial institutions to get employed, but as Apex has left the project without clearing liabilities of local labourers, contractors and suppliers, this is a big blow to the local enterprises and people working with the company. We demand immediate clearance of our liabilities pending with Apex Encon Projects Pvt Ltd."