Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has enforced rigorous measures on the Aarey Colony road construction project following the revelation of cracks and defects in the newly laid cement concrete road. The stringent actions involve significant penalties for contractors and quality monitoring agencies, as well as direct interventions to address the identified deficiencies.
The BMC’s recent scrutiny uncovered several issues with the roadwork, including both major and minor cracks, surface degradation, and areas of substandard quality. This has led to severe reprimands for the contractors and engineers involved, who have been issued formal warnings for their oversight. The civic body’s Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) conducted an inspection covering the road from Goregaon Junction to L&T Junction in Powai, highlighting the poor workmanship.
Contractors have been mandated to carry out repairs on the defective sections at their own expense. Any future deficiencies will incur double penalties, with the possibility of blacklisting for repeated infractions. This decision underscores the BMC’s commitment to maintaining high standards of road construction and quality control. The project, initiated in 2022 with an allocation of INR 51.6 crore, aims to concretize Aarey Colony’s main road, stretching from Goregaon Junction to L&T Junction in Powai, with a planned completion by 2025. The defect liability period for the road extends to 10 years, ensuring long-term accountability.
In addition to contractor penalties, the quality monitoring agency responsible for oversight has faced its own set of sanctions for failing to adhere to the stipulated quality standards. The BMC has emphasised that any lapses by the monitoring agency will be met with similar punitive measures. The agency is expected to enhance its vigilance to prevent further shortcomings in the construction process.
The BMC’s stringent actions reflect its resolve to uphold the quality of municipal infrastructure projects. “The BMC will not tolerate substandard work under any circumstances,” an official stated. “Contractors and quality agencies are expected to adhere to the highest standards, and any deviation will result in substantial financial and operational repercussions.”
