The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has suspended a junior engineer and levied steep penalties on both a road contractor and a quality assurance agency over serious lapses in road construction in the Bandra-Khar-Santacruz belt.
The civic body’s swift enforcement comes after a surprise inspection in H West ward revealed the use of substandard dry lean concrete in a road’s sub-base layer—posing not just quality concerns, but serious sustainability and safety risks for the citizens.The inspection, conducted by Additional Municipal Commissioner Abhijit Bangar on April 7, 2025, exposed glaring violations in construction standards. With the concrete sub-base—meant to ensure strength and durability of roads—found to be below grade, the BMC’s internal protocols were immediately triggered. Upon issuance of show-cause notices to the engineer, contractor, and the quality audit firm, all three parties failed to offer satisfactory explanations, prompting disciplinary and financial actions. The contractor has been fined Rs 50 lakh, while the third-party quality agency was slapped with a Rs 25 lakh penalty.
This incident, set against the backdrop of Mumbai’s aggressive cement concretisation campaign, underscores the fragile balance between rapid infrastructure development and accountability. With over 800 km of roads being converted to concrete to withstand monsoonal stress and vehicular load, the BMC has been facing increased public scrutiny. Earlier lapses in roadworks have drawn criticism from both local citizens and civic activists who allege that lack of transparency and poor oversight often compromise public safety and taxpayers’ money.The civic body, however, appears to be changing course. Officials indicated that the fines were not merely punitive but also aimed at setting precedents in quality control. In recent weeks, BMC has reportedly taken action against other erring contractors, reflecting a policy shift that prioritises sustainable construction, stricter compliance, and citizen-first governance.
The larger aim, sources said, is to finish the cement concretisation project by end of May without sacrificing quality or safety norms.Urban experts have long warned that shoddy civic work contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions through repeated repairs, resource wastage, and poor urban mobility. The use of inferior materials in critical infrastructure not only derails city resilience but adds to the burden of unsustainable development. With Mumbai aspiring to become a zero-net carbon city under global climate goals, such actions by the BMC mark a step in the right direction—if followed up with continuous monitoring, transparent tenders, and civic engagement.As Mumbai braces for another punishing monsoon, the need for long-lasting roads—built right the first time—has never been more pressing. While the punitive actions may not undo the damage already done, they serve as a stern reminder to all stakeholders in the urban development ecosystem that the city’s streets are not to be paved with shortcuts.
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