Mumbai: IIT to Oversee Quality Control for BMC's 701-Kilometer Cement Concrete Road

In response to recent concerns regarding the quality of cement concrete roads, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has appointed the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Mumbai, as an independent third-party quality control agency. This appointment is aimed at ensuring that the highest standards are maintained throughout the road development process.

An MoU was signed between BMC and IIT on September 11, 2024, in a ceremony attended by BMC Commissioner and Administrator Bhushan Gagrani and Prof. Sachin Patwardhan, Dean of Research and Development at IIT.

The BMC has issued work orders for the cement concreting of 701 kilometers of roads, split into two phases: 392 kilometers in the first phase and 309 kilometers in the second. This includes roadwork across the city, western suburbs, and eastern suburbs. To uphold high-quality standards, BMC Chief Gagrani decided to involve IIT as the third-party quality control agency. “This MoU marks the formal engagement of IIT for quality control. IIT will oversee quality inspection and related tasks for five packages in the second phase (one in the city, one in the eastern suburbs, and three in the western suburbs), as well as one package from the first phase,” stated a senior official from the Civic Road Department.

Gagrani emphasized that IIT’s involvement will ensure the highest quality standards in cement concrete roadwork, with IIT providing guidance to balance quality and speed.

Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) Mr. Abhijit Bangar explained that IIT’s role includes preventing substandard work, offering guidance to avoid mistakes, and maintaining high-quality standards. IIT will conduct surprise site visits, document observations, provide feedback during engineering sessions, and inspect material production at concrete plants through various tests.

IIT will perform tests such as cube tests, core tests, slump cone tests, durability tests, and field density tests. Additionally, IIT will enhance the skills and efficiency of engineers, guiding officers and contractors on quality standards. The third-party audit will help prevent errors and expedite project completion.

IIT’s responsibilities also include advising on maintenance, restructuring, and rehabilitation methods, conducting inspections tailored to each case, assessing quality assurance standards, testing for quality control, reviewing reports, preparing technical audit reports, and regularly visiting project sites for quality assurance.