Waterproofing specifications inadequate: IIT-Roorkee report

Seepage of water in roof slabs of multi-level parking

Sandeep Rana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 29

While the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation has washed its hands off the entire blame for seepage of water in roof slabs of the Rs 48-crore multi-level parking, a report of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Roorkee, has clearly stated that waterproofing design specifications were inadequate.

The corporation has withheld an amount of Rs 2.66 crore of the company, but it has fixed no responsibility of its own officials who prepared the specifications, which are mentioned in the tender.

“Accountability must be fixed so that we do not face such issues in future. It seems the authorities are looking the other way,” quipped an official.

According to the IIT’s observations on waterproofing design specifications, “the proposed waterproofing design specifications in the terrace slab parking portion on the structure are inadequate.”

The report further stated, “…Construction-related deficiencies such as cracking, honeycombing and inadequately detailed construction joints in the mother slab in the top parking level of the structure have also resulted in seepage and leakage of surface water…”

“The proposed design specifications for waterproofing in landscaped portion on the roof slab are satisfactory. Absence of any seepage below the landscaped portion in the top floor of the parking structure confirms this,” the report further mentioned.

Vajinder Gautam, one of the partners of Gautam Builders, who carried out the work, said: “The work was executed as per the items mentioned in the tender. The work was duly passed by the Sub-Divisional Officer and the Executive Engineer and recorded in the measurement book. It was in line with specifications laid down by the Central Public Works Department.”

Commissioner KK Yadav said: “As a contractor, they could not see that such major seepage can happen. They should have suggested or carried out the changes. After the IIT report, they are now saying specifications were like that. The issue has been going on for four years, but they never raised the issue about the specifications. The report has questioned the work done there.”

As the matter is now in the court, the civic body has already approved and decided to float a tender for allotting the work of relaying the top surface to an agency. The estimated Rs 2.13 crore is to be paid from the amount withheld of the previous contractor.

It has been decided to dismantle the existing top surface floor and lay a new screed covered with trafficworthy waterproofing treatment. Thus, the re-laid surface will allow use of the area for parking of two-wheelers and four-wheelers.