Surat metro rail project: Laid-off workers stage protest, say salaries pending since 2 months

Apart from this, the Phase-2 (Line 2) project from Bhesan to Saroli covers 19.26 km, with all elevated structures. The Line 2 project consists of 18 stations. The estimated cost of both the phases is around Rs. 12,020.32 crore, said sources in the GMRC.

Sources said that the GMRC has awarded the contract for the CS2 Phase — from Surat railway station to Kapodara — to Gulermak, which had entered a joint venture with SAM India. The contract was awarded in 2021 at Rs 1,073.31 crore through bidding. The work includes construction of underground stations and tunnels, including finishes for Kapodara ramp to Surat railway station from chainage 3,700 m to chainage 7,160.6 m; twin bored underground tunnels between northern ramp and Surat metro station; all cut and cover portion, including three underground stations of Kapodara, Labheshwar, Chowk; and a central warehouse with entry/exit and connecting subway.

Sources said that Gulermak–SAM India had given a sub-contract to Krishna enterprise for this project.

The protesting labourers on Thursday alleged that they had not received salaries since the last two months and that a couple of days ago, they were laid off by Krishna Enterprise, a sub-contractor firm.

Dilipkumar Mahato, an agitating leader of the labourers who hails from Bihar told The Indian Express, “We have come to Surat leaving our family behind and have been working since the last two years under the sub-contract of Krishna Enterprise. We have to send money to our families every month. The sub-contractor did not disburse our salary since two months and a couple of days ago, they told all of us not to come to work any more. Many of us have have taken loans to construct houses at our native places and now we have lost our jobs. How will we repay the loans? We have come to know that workers from Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur will arrive here (Surat) to work. The sub-contractor has not given us any reasons (behind lay-offs).”

When The Indian Express reached the office of Manoj Pradhan, Senior DGM (Civil) at GMRC, he did not meet. This Indian Express correspondent also tried to reach the office of Gulermak- SAM India at Bhimrad, but the officials refused to meet.

A Krishna Enterprise official, on the condition of anonimity, told this newspaper, “We have come to know that Gulermark-SAM India had in 2022 awarded the sub-contract to Krishna Enterprise for carrying out the work for Surat metro rail Phase 1. Due to some unknown reasons, Gulermak-SAM India cancelled the contract on May 15. This has directly affected the labourers who were laid off on the same day. The sub-contractors are not responsible for the lay-offs.”