In a strange turn of events indicating signs of corruption, a contractor, who was previously blacklisted by the BMC has resurfaced under a new name and has secured multi-crore contracts for the civic body's cement concrete road projects. The residents have also alleged that the works executed by this contractor at the Maulana Azad Road, Agripada, is of substandard quality.
Banned firm continues to function under different name
According to the locals, RK Madhani & Co that was blacklisted in 2017 for poor road construction now operates as Gyan Construction & Co. Despite being barred, the firm bagged contracts worth Rs185 crore from government agencies like Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation in 2020. In another brazen move, the company submitted an affidavit in 2019 for work in Navi Mumbai, claiming that it hadn't been banned by any regulatory body.
Reports from Agripada have revealed that approx 20% of the recently constructed roads have shown signs of deterioration in just three months. Major cracks, substandard water table work and capillary pores on cubes are some of the issues. The Kalapani Junction in the neighbourhood is also reeling under the same woes. Residents said that they made several urgent appeals to address the quality concerns.
Cracks on newly built roads |
AAP leader writes to BMC, says 'have lodged 10 complaints' over non-compliance
Raising concerns on the reappearance of the blacklisted contractor, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Ward Chief Aslam Merchant wrote to the BMC's roads and traffic department chief engineer. He pointed out that both the companies – RK Madhani & Co and Gyan Construction & Co – share the same correspondence address. Interestingly, all the road work materials are supplied by RK Madhani & Co hence substantiating the suspicion, Merchant said.
Talking to The Free Press Journal, Merchant said, “The road is supposed to have a warranty period of 10 years, but cracks have already appeared in just three months. Additionally, water pipelines are being passed through sewage chambers without rectification, while the road construction work is ongoing.” He continued that the materials used are of poor quality. For example, aggregates contain stone powder when they should not. Substandard wet mix is being utilised and 150mm plain cement concrete is being poured without the use of a road roller. Furthermore, the 280mm reinforced cement concrete material is M40 instead of the required M40ES.
Pavement in bad condition within just 3 months |
“I have lodged over 10 complaints regarding the non-compliance with standard operating procedures yet no action has been taken. (Civic) officers are fully aware of the situation, yet they seem reluctant to address the grievances,” said the AAP leader. This contractor ought to be served with a notice and penalised. Apart from these issues, the primary concern remains that the contractor, blacklisted for seven years, continues to construct roads for the BMC, the very entity that blacklisted them. There are suspicions of corruption at play here, Merchant underscored.
Residents question BMC's neglect of road qualities
Accusing councillors and civic officers of graft, Aftab Khan, a resident of Madanpura, said, “There is no genuine desire for development here. The repair and concreting works seem superficial, given the lack of planning. Quality of materials is compromised, which is evident from pavement damage in just three months. Projects lack foresight, with measurements taken haphazardly.” He bemoaned that there is no consideration for vital infrastructure such as cable lines and water pipelines. Despite the maintenance department's awareness, leaders and officers from other departments fail to address the issue, likely due to political pressure. The involvement of a blacklisted contractor is alarming. One must question the BMC's commitment to road quality and public safety, Khan lashed.
Locals have also reported that test reports also seem fraudulent. They have observed that sewage chamber frames and lids are not being replaced and old road materials are being reused for new construction. Similarly, extra pipes have been left inside the stormwater drainage chambers, internal plastering remains incomplete and the drainage slope does not adhere to set standards. Furthermore, concrete curing using the water method has been conducted for a week despite the requirement for 21 days. Gaps between cubes and inadequate glue cutting depth, which should be three inches, have also been noted, said residents, demanding an inquiry and an inspection visit. The payments to the blacklisted contractor should be stopped, they sought.
