4 contractors told to pay ₹3L penalty for slow lifting at Ladwa mandi: DC

However, the lifting agencies failed to provide the necessary 679 additional trucks required for the task and consequently, the process could not be carried out

Kurukshetra deputy commissioner Vishram Kumar Meena on Wednesday said that penalties of ₹3.39 lakh have been imposed on four contractors at the Ladwa grain market due to slow pace of grain lifting.

Now, the firms have also been asked to make available a sufficient number of trucks, in accordance with the inspector’s requirements; failure to do so will result in the cancellation of their tenders. (HT Photo for representation)

The contractors include M/s CS Transport Company (Labor and Cartage Contractor), M/s SH Labor Contractor (Transport Contractor), M/s Karnail Singh and Company (Transport Contractor), and M/s Radheshyam (Transport Contractor). “The contractors are required to deposit the penalty amount with the food and supplies department. Instructions have been issued to expedite the lifting process as well,” the DC said.

He said that according to a letter from the food and supplies inspector, tenders for labour and cartage work at the Ladwa Grain Market for the current season (2026-27) were allotted to these firms. DC Meena said that as of April 16, the department had procured 5.39 lakh bags of wheat at the mandi; the lifting of this stock was required to be completed by the aforementioned contractors within 72 hours.

However, the lifting agencies failed to provide the necessary 679 additional trucks required for the task and consequently, the process could not be carried out. “Pursuant to Clause 19 of the Tender Policy—and specifically due to the failure to lift the wheat within the stipulated 72-hour timeframe—a penalty of ₹500 per truck is being imposed for the 679 trucks that were not made available. This amounts to a total recoverable penalty of ₹3,39,500, amounting to ₹84,975 each,” the DC said.

Now, the firms have also been asked to make available a sufficient number of trucks, in accordance with the inspector’s requirements; failure to do so will result in the cancellation of their tenders. On the payments, the DC said that ₹478.75 crore has been sent to the accounts of the farmers of the district till April 21. To date, 4.71 lakh metric tonne (MT) of wheat has been procured in the district, out of which 2.05 lakh MT has been lifted.