Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has imposed heavy fines and strict penalties on contractors and ready-mix concrete (RMC) plants after exorbitant delays in road concretization projects and discrepancies found during slump tests. A contractor responsible for delays in the concretization of roads in Aarey Colony has been fined ₹5 lakh and blacklisted from participating in any BMC tenders for the next two years. Additionally, two RMC plants have been penalized ₹20 lakh each and barred from supplying concrete for BMC projects for six months following quality failures in slump tests.
This decisive action is part of BMC’s intensified efforts to address Mumbai’s road infrastructure by ensuring high-quality cement concretization. Municipal Commissioner and Administrator Bhushan Gagrani has emphasized that no compromise will be made on quality and any negligence will result in strict punitive measures.
The BMC has implemented a detailed micro-planning strategy to ensure timely and high-quality completion of road works. Each road project has fixed deadlines, and field engineers are instructed to monitor the work on-site. Senior officers have been tasked with conducting surprise inspections, and any deficiencies found are being addressed immediately.
For example, during a surprise inspection at Dr. Neetu Mandke Marg in the 'M-East' ward, a mismatch in slump readings (160 mm at the RMC plant vs. 170 mm on-site) led to the rejection of the concrete mix and a ₹20 lakh fine for the supplier. Similarly, on April 1, another inspection at Jail Road in the 'B' ward revealed unacceptable slump values, resulting in further penalties and a six-month ban for the involved RMC.
Abhijit Bangar, Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects), stressed the importance of vigilance in roadworks. "There will be zero tolerance for quality compromises. Any contractors found guilty will face severe consequences," he stated.
The BMC continues to enforce mandatory slump tests both at RMC plants and on-site to ensure consistency in concrete quality and adherence to project specifications.