The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is actively pursuing its ambitious road cement concretisation (CC) project, aiming to achieve significant milestones despite encountering hurdles along the way.
With an April-end deadline looming for road-digging permissions, BMC is strategically positioning itself to expedite Phase 1 of the project, targeting completion of approximately 50% of the designated work by May-end. Initially, BMC embarked on this massive undertaking with tenders worth Rs 6,080 crore aimed at concretising 397km of roads across the city. Contracts were awarded to five reputable firms, signalling a concerted effort to address longstanding issues such as potholes and road degradation.
However, the project faced setbacks when BMC opted to cancel a contract worth about Rs 1,600 crore awarded to Roadway Solutions India Infrastructure Ltd (RSIIL) due to delays in implementation. This decision drew criticism as the pace of concretisation failed to meet expectations, prompting scrutiny from the Bombay High Court regarding the progress and completion timelines. In response to the court’s inquiries, BMC provided insights into its concretisation endeavours, revealing challenges in meeting the stipulated deadlines. Despite initial tender cancellations and subsequent reissuance, BMC remains committed to advancing the project, leveraging the expertise of seasoned construction firms experienced in highway development.
While BMC’s road concretisation initiative holds promise for enhancing infrastructure and addressing long-standing grievances, it faces multifaceted challenges ranging from contractual issues to operational complexities. Striking a delicate balance between ambition and practical realities on the ground is imperative as BMC navigates through project execution intricacies. As the city grapples with urban mobility challenges, BMC’s road concretisation efforts symbolise a proactive stance towards infrastructure enhancement. However, effective project management, stakeholder coordination, and adherence to timelines will be pivotal in realising the project’s objectives and delivering tangible benefits to Mumbai’s residents.
Civic officials said currently about 20% of concretisation has been completed. “We aim to complete about 50% of the work by May-end. The road department will also not give any permission to carry out digging or excavation of the roads after April. We have taken this decision after considering a duration of 45 days for concretisation work. We don’t want the roads to be dug up and concretisation work incomplete when monsoon hits the city,” said a senior civic official. Civic officials, though, are sceptical if 50% of the work will be complete by May-end.
