Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has intensified its efforts to make Mumbai pothole-free, accelerating cement concretization of roads across the city. To ensure top-notch quality, BMC has taken strict action against negligence and substandard work.
In a recent incident in the H (West) ward, a secondary engineer was suspended after serious quality lapses were found in the dry lean concrete (DLC) mix used as the sub-base layer. The contractor was fined ₹50 lakh, while the quality control agency faced a penalty of ₹25 lakh. The contractor has also been directed to remove the poor-quality work and redo it to the required standards.
BMC Commissioner and Administrator Bhushan Gagrani has made it clear that no compromise will be tolerated in road works, and strict action will be taken against all responsible parties wherever faults are detected. The corporation aims to complete the cement concretization of roads by May 31, 2025, through meticulous micro-planning, with clear deadlines and regular surprise site visits by engineers.
Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) Abhijit Bangar has been actively inspecting road projects. During a surprise visit on April 7, 2025, to the H (West) ward, Mr. Bangar found issues like poor gradation, compaction, and surface unevenness in the DLC. Although the site team claimed the curing period was complete, it was later admitted that only three of the required seven days had passed. The field dry density (FDD) test, critical during compaction, was also not conducted.
Following unsatisfactory explanations from the contractor, engineer, and quality agency, BMC proceeded with disciplinary action. Mr. Bangar stressed that all stakeholders are accountable and warned that intentional negligence will face the harshest penalties. He reaffirmed BMC’s commitment to delivering world-class roads and warned that poor performers will face strict consequences.