KOLHAPUR: The dispute between a national highway official and contractor over pending dues has resulted into delay in completion of the bridge being constructed parallel to Shivaji bridge on Panchganga river.The contractor officially stopped the work on Monday holding the official responsible for not clearing the bills.The development has irked the local residents as both the ends of Shivaji bridge witness heavy traffic, especially during peak hours. They have formed an action committee that will meet on Tuesday.Committee convener RK Powar said that the citizens are paying a heavy price because of the dispute and demanded immediate intervention by guardian minister Chandrakant Patil .The contractor, ND Lad, in a press statement said that the deputy engineer, who is supervising the work, is delaying the payment of dues. "We have spent Rs1.75 crore for the work but have not been given any payment," he said.Lad has alleged that deputy engineer has made several corrections and sent the bill for sanction without approval of the contractor. "A bill that has no sanction of the contractor cannot be approved. But the deputy engineer did it intentionally only to delay the payment," he added.Lad has said that the company has decided to stop the work as it was not sure if the bills will be cleared, "We stopped the work of the bridge as it was not practical for them to go to court to get the payment," he said.The dispute between contractor and official has severely affected the work of new bridge. Senior officials in Mumbai intervened and assured contractor about the release of payment.The contractor, however, claimed that the work would start only after payment is cleared and a new deputy engineer is appointed.

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