Nashik: Quality of ₹1,230-Crore Simhastha Road Projects Under Scrutiny Over Inspection Lapses

Nashik: While work on 28 major roads undertaken by the Municipal Corporation to strengthen infrastructure ahead of the Simhastha Kumbh Mela 2027 has gained momentum, questions have been raised over the quality inspection of these projects. The Municipal Corporation’s Quality Control Department has observed that Project Management Consultants (PMCs) are not inspecting roadworks in accordance with the checklist prepared by IIT Bombay.

The Quality Control Department inspected three major road projects: Sangam Bridge-Mirchi Hotel, XLO Chowk-Gangapur Chowk and Takali STP-Nandurgaon Chowk-Rajasvi Sweets. The inspection revealed discrepancies between entries in the Concrete Pour Card and the Daily Concrete Register at certain locations.

It was also found that independent tagging for work carried out on different dates, Requests for Inspection (RFIs), necessary documentation and complete inspection records were unavailable.

Ahead of the Simhastha Kumbh Mela, the Municipal Corporation has initiated the first phase of work on 28 city roads at an estimated cost of around ₹1,230 crore. The projects involve widening and concreting of some roads, while others are being paved with asphalt. The works are scheduled to be completed by March 2027.

Municipal Commissioner Manisha Khatri has taken action against concerned contractors after instances of substandard material usage and hurried execution of work came to light.

Questions Raised Over PMC’s Role

The responsibility for verifying the standards and quality of works being executed through the Municipal Corporation’s Public Works Department lies with zonal officers and Project Management Consultants. The task of project management consultancy has been entrusted to Fortress Infracon Limited and Pavetech Consulting Engineering Services Pvt Ltd.

However, inspections by the Quality Control Department revealed that quality checks were not being conducted as expected in certain areas. Against this backdrop, the department has written to the Public Works Department, directing it to ensure rigorous inspections.

Maintaining separate records for every stage of work is essential for quality monitoring. This requires comprehensive details such as date-wise work tagging, Request for Inspection records, Concrete Pour Cards, Daily Concrete Registers and other necessary documentation.

As lapses in this process were observed during inspections, the Quality Control Department has instructed the concerned agencies to exercise greater diligence in their operations.