Mumbai: The concretisation of roads, which was halted during the monsoon, is set to resume in a few days. To ensure high standards and quality in the cement concreting process, the Indian Institute of Technology - Bombay (IIT - B) has been appointed as an independent agency for quality control.
In a recent meeting with IIT experts, the municipal commissioner directed that quality inspections be conducted meticulously. On Monday, Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) Abhijit Bangar held a meeting with senior officials and engineers from the Roads and Transport department at the municipal headquarters.
During the meeting, representatives from IIT presented the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP). The civic body has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IIT Bombay to conduct site inspections of road work and ensure the quality of concretised roads. The meeting aimed to establish effective coordination between the IIT team and the roads department for smooth collaboration.
Professor K.V.K. Rao Outlines The Operational Framework
Professor K.V.K. Rao from IIT outlined the operational framework, emphasising that the roads department must provide the necessary information, prioritise tasks, and facilitate logistics for material testing and IIT's planned visits to the work site. A nodal officer has been appointed to ensure coordination between IIT and the roads department, maintaining daily communication to uphold the quality of work.
Bangar stated that vigilance is crucial to prevent substandard work during the implementation of road development. He emphasised the importance of guidance to avoid inadvertent errors and to ensure the highest quality standards, with IIT providing the necessary support. "IIT will advise on appropriate methods for road maintenance, reconstruction, and rehabilitation, conduct inspections based on specific needs, and ensure quality assurance through regular testing and audits," he said.
He further added that "Surprise visits and direct site inspections will be conducted, and feedback will be collected from the engineering department on observations made during these visits. The IIT team will conduct thorough checks from the material production stage at the concrete plant to the final testing after the concrete roadwork is completed. Various technical tests, including cube tests, core tests, slump cone tests, durability tests, and field density tests, will also be included."
About The Phases Of Concretization
Phase I of the concretisation project covers 394 kilometers, while Phase II aims to concretise an additional 309 kilometers in the city and suburbs. Despite only 30% of the road work being completed over the past year, the civic body has set an ambitious target to concretise 324 kilometers of roads in the eastern and western suburbs by May 31, 2025.
