Shimla, April 5 -- Sharp spike in the rates of bitumen and light diesel oil (LDO) due to the ongoing West Asia war has put the road work contracters in a fix.The rise has made it inviable for them to continue the work.

Echoing the same concern, officials said that the rates of both bitumen and LDO have doubled. While bitumen is essential for road construction, LDO is used in machines for tarring and metalling work.

At the time of preparing the detailed project report, the price of bitumen was Rs.43 per kg, which has now increased to Rs.86.60. Similarly, the price of LDO has increased by more than 50%.

In India, Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum, and Hindustan Petroleum produce bitumen, but a significant portion of the demand for...