The state government has requested the Centre to allow Chinese engineers to return to work at the Jurala power project. Work at the project site has been delayed by over six months because of the absence of Chinese engineers who were send back to their country because of visa tussle between India and China.

The Rs 547-crore project has been awarded to Chinese engineering firm M/s CMEC. The engineers were asked to leave the country in August last year after the Centre tightened the visa norms. It asked Chinese engineers to return to work with proper work permit.

With the project getting delayed, the state requested the Centre to relax the visa guidelines so that the engineers could come back and resume work. Acting on the state’s request, the Centre permitted 16
out of 28 engineers to return to Jurala.

But, since firm had agreed to take up work on the condition that the entire manpower will be sourced from China, the work at the project site did not start.“Some Chinese engineers came here on a business visa and started working at the power station. All of them returned to their country after the Centre informed them about visa rules,” said Mr G. Adiseshu, the director of AP Genco.

AP Genco and the power department wrote to the external affairs ministry stating that it does not have the expertise in the country. “It is mandatory for any foreign company to ensure proper work permit for its employees. Without filing such an affidavit, no foreign engineer can take up work in India,” said Mr Adiseshu. With changes in the visa regulations, the Chinese engineers will get work visa for six months in which there should be a break after three months