Turkish construction company Gulermak, part of a joint venture with Indian firm Sam India on the Kanpur Metro project, has reportedly fled the city, leaving ₹80 crore in unpaid dues to 53 subcontractors. The company was responsible for executing the underground segment of the metro’s Corridor One and is now accused of abandoning its financial obligations after allegedly completing its portion of the work.
According to a report by India Today, several subcontractors claimed they have not received payments for over ten months. Many said that Gulermak delayed and staggered payments despite completing the contracted work. The payment freeze reportedly began following nationwide protests against Turkey’s support for Pakistan during the recent India–Pakistan conflict.
Nine of the affected contractors approached the District Magistrate’s office on Monday, submitting a formal memorandum. Among those awaiting dues are Metro Marble (₹3.70 crore), Radiant Services (₹1.20 crore), Shreyans Infratech (₹1.70 crore), S Interior (₹74.80 lakh), MD Ehasan Painter (₹39.80 lakh), Vinod Gupta Enterprises (₹8.54 lakh), Nandan Prefab (₹29.50 lakh), and Shri Balaji Enterprises (₹21.50 lakh).
Radiant Services’ contractor Gajendra Singh said, “Till now only 50 per cent payment has been made to the companies.” Contractors allege that senior Gulermak officials have left Kanpur and are now unresponsive, with phone calls met with evasive replies.
Panchanan Mishra, Joint General Manager (Public Relations) at the Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation (UPMRC), confirmed that Gulermak had completed work on four stations and was paid in full. He clarified that the unpaid contractors were subcontracted by Gulermak, not directly by UPMRC. However, he acknowledged that the metro authority holds 5 per cent of the contract value in reserve, to be released a year post-completion. “If the company doesn’t pay the contractors, the metro has to release this payment,” he added.
Attempts to contact Gulermak for a response went unanswered. The incident has raised concerns over regulatory oversight and subcontractor protections in major infrastructure projects involving foreign firms.
