After Contractor’s Suicide, Maharashtra Builders’ Body to Move HC Over Rs 90,000 Cr Pending Dues

Pune, 26th July 2025: In the wake of the tragic suicide of young contractor Harshal Patil, the Builders’ Association of India (BAI) on Friday announced that it will move the Bombay High Court over long-pending dues owed to contractors by the Maharashtra government. The association has also warned of launching an intensified agitation in Mumbai if the payments are not released soon.

Patil, a resident of Tandulwadi in Sangli’s Walwa taluka, had completed work worth ₹1.4 crore under the Jal Jeevan Mission. However, payments remained pending for months. Struggling to repay a loan of ₹60 lakh he had taken to complete the project, the 30-year-old allegedly ended his life due to mounting debt and mental stress.

At a condolence meeting held in Pune, BAI leaders paid tribute to Patil and observed a two-minute silence. The meeting was attended by BAI Maharashtra president Jagannath Jadhav, Pune president Ajay Gujar, state secretary Manoj Deshmukh, vice-presidents Mahesh Maydev and Rajaram Hazare, secretary C.H. Ratlani, treasurer Mahesh Rathi, former president Sunil Mate, Dr. Rajeev Krishnani, and Ravindra Bhosale of the Pune Contractors Association.

Speaking at the gathering, Jadhav said, “Contractors across the state have been waiting for over ₹90,000 crore in pending payments for years. Despite repeated representations and legal notices, the government has failed to act. Many have mortgaged their assets and taken loans to complete projects, but no payments have been made. Patil’s suicide is a wake-up call. We will not allow his sacrifice to go in vain.”

Ajay Gujar called the government’s response “insensitive,” pointing out that authorities have distanced themselves by claiming Patil was a subcontractor and not officially recognised. “This shows a complete lack of empathy,” he said. “Contractors are the second-largest employment generators after agriculture. New tenders are being floated, but payments for old projects remain stuck. Even when funds are allocated, they are often diverted to other schemes. If the government does not act now, more such tragic incidents will follow. We urge them not to test our patience.”

BAI leaders said they are preparing to file a writ petition in the High Court and are also planning a massive sit-in protest in Mumbai if their demands continue to be ignored.