Court directs consideration of contractor's price escalation claim due to war-induced bitumen price rise, following prior precedents.

JUDGMENT

The petitioner is a contractor who was entrusted with the work named “General Balance work S/F 2122, improvements and providing BM and BC to Varattar Bridge in M.C.Road to Kallissery-Eraviperoor Road”. The agreement was executed on 25.06.2025. The grievance of the petitioner is that, on account of the war situation the price of bitumen and other allied products has increased considerably and therefore the petitioner is finding it difficult to continue with the work with the present rates. Therefore, the petitioner seeks escalation of price or to be relieved from the obligations of the contract, without the risk and cost.

2. The petitioner points out that, earlier when similar situation arose in the year 2018, the respondents considered the same in favour of the contractors and issued Exts.P2, P3 and P4 Government Orders for redressing their grievances. Therefore the petitioner seeks similar consideration even in this case also. Now the petitioner has highlighted his grievances in Ext.P6 representation which is now pending before the 2^nd respondent. The limited relief sought by the petitioner is to direct the 2^nd respondent to consider the said representation and pass appropriate orders thereon.

After hearing the learned Senior Counsel for the petitioner and the learned Government Pleader for the respondents, I am inclined to dispose of this writ petition. Accordingly, it is ordered that, the 2^nd respondent shall take up Ext.P6 and appropriate orders thereon shall be passed, in accordance with law, after giving the petitioner an opportunity for being heard, within a period of one month from the date of receipt of a copy of this judgment.