Mumbai: In a major crackdown on poor-quality civic work, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has imposed a hefty fine of ₹75 lakh — ₹50 lakh on the road contractor and ₹25 lakh on the quality monitoring agency — after serious lapses were found in cement concrete roadwork in the H (West) ward. The assistant municipal engineer responsible for the project has also been suspended.
The strict action was taken on the orders of BMC Commissioner and Administrator Bhushan Gagrani, who has warned that no negligence in road concreting work will be tolerated. The contractor has been directed to immediately dismantle the substandard work and redo it to approved quality standards.
The BMC has been expediting cement concrete roadworks across Mumbai to achieve pothole-free roads by May 31, 2025, under a detailed micro-planning strategy. Each road has a set deadline, and engineers have been instructed to maintain on-site supervision, conduct surprise inspections, and ensure both speed and quality.
During a surprise site visit on April 7, Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) Abhijit Bangar inspected the dry lean concrete (DLC) layer at a site in the H (West) ward. The inspection revealed major quality deficiencies, including poor gradation, flawed mix design, inadequate compaction, and uneven surfaces. Moreover, the required seven-day curing period for DLC was not followed — the contractor admitted in writing that only three days of curing had been done — and the mandatory Field Dry Density (FDD) tests were not conducted during compaction.
Taking serious note of these lapses, the BMC issued show-cause notices to the assistant engineer, contractor, and the quality monitoring agency. After receiving unsatisfactory explanations, the corporation moved swiftly to suspend the engineer and impose the fines.
Municipal Commissioner Gagrani has made it clear that all future roadworks will be closely monitored, and any contractor or official found compromising on quality will face strict penalties.