Inflated bills: KBF for action against contractors

KOCHI: The Kochi Biennale Foundation (KBF) is going to court against its contractor for submitting inflated bills for the construction of Biennale Pavilion at Cabral Yard.

The KBF move comes amid reports that the foundation had not paid the construction workers.Stating that reports of non-payment was a ‘disinformation campaign’, the KBF on Sunday said the contractor and his vendors entrusted with the construction of the Biennale Pavilion have been paid `1.80 crore (`1,80,59,000) till date.

“The payment of on-ground workers is the responsibility of the contractors. Since the final bills submitted by the contractor were considered exorbitant, the foundation, in agreement with the contractor, appointed an independent government-approved valuer to look into this,” the statement said.

The report submitted by the valuer has found that the bills are greatly inflated, and the money demanded by the contractor is arbitrary.