NHAI seeks police action against attackers targeting contractors' workers

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has sought the help of Director General of Police to initiate action against those involved in perpetrating attacks on the labourers hired for the four-laning of the Amritsar-Una highway near Fatehpur Rajputan bypass in Amritsar last week.

Inaction against those involved in the attacks, says the authority, can jeopardise the construction of highways in Punjab.

A gang of miscreants, brandishing swords, pistols and rods, is alleged to have brutally assaulted labourers living in accommodations near the project site on November 27. The labourers are undergoing treatment at Guru Ram Das Hospital. This is not the first attack on labourers hired by contractors for constructing highways in Punjab. Similar incidents also occurred in March and April.

In a letter sent to the DGP and other civil administration officials, the NHAI Regional Officer has alleged that in spite of approaching officials in Amritsar, neither any action has been taken against the accused, nor vigil stepped up to prevent the repeat of such incidents.

Regional Officer Vipnesh Sharma claimed the Project Director at Amritsar had brought such issues to the notice of the SSP, Amritsar Rural, on March 9 and April 17.

“The affected employees of the contractor had also given written complaints to the police, but no action was taken. Now, the contractor is in fear and feeling insecure due to such attacks. Labourers may leave the site in the present circumstances,” reads the complaint, a copy of which is with The Tribune.

Sharma has demanded that instructions be issued to the Amritsar police to take action against the perpetrators of these attacks “so that confidence of the NHAI officials and the contractor’s staff can be restored and the work of highway projects executed in a safe environment”.

The Project Director, Amritsar, also wrote a letter to the Deputy Commissioner there on November 28, seeking action by the police. This letter also gave details about a similar incident in Ludhiana a few months ago, which had forced the Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways to take up the matter with Punjab CM.