Karntaka asked to pay Rs2 crore to construction company

The high court on Tuesday directed the state to pay admitted expenses of about Rs2 crore to the contractor who began work for Judge’s Colony at HSR Layout, but had to discontinue it after a stay on the construction was ordered.

A division bench comprising chief justice JS Khehar and justice AS Bopanna directed the government to pay the amount in two months’ time.

Rao Constructions, hired by the government, had started the construction in 2008 with the foundation work. It had spent about Rs5 crore on the project till the high court stayed the construction after a public interest litigation was filed by HSR Layout Welfare Association.

The petitioner objected to the allotment of civic amenity land for the construction of Judges’ Colony. The residents said that the land served as a playground to children from over 10,000 families, and could not be used for other purposes.

The contractor later filed an IA in the public interest litigation  asking for the refund of his money spent.