‘Less’ thickness of newly laid road raises eyebrows

Harshraj Singh

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, February 18

The ‘less’ thickness of a newly constructed ready-mix concrete (RMC) road (known as SAN Jain Model School Road) near Daresi Ground here has raised many eyebrows. As many as nine samples were collected from the RMC road.

During the collection of samples, it was observed on the spot that the average thickness of the RMC laid was nearly 4 inches. The contractor was supposed to ensure 6-inch thickness of the RMC as per the conditions and estimated cost of the road project, said sources in the MC.

It was learnt that the MC had received a complaint regarding the RMC road which was constructed around three months ago. Besides, a small portion of the road has started peeling off. Residents have raised questions about unavailability of road gullies opposite SAN Jain Model School.

In the presence of a quality control team of the MC, led by SDOs Lipsa Sharma, Ramneek Singh and Junior Engineer Rohit Sharma, nine samples were collected by a team of Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College today. The samples will be tested in a laboratory.

A resident said: “The side portion of the road stretch just near the school was not constructed. There is also need to construct road gullies on this non-constructed area. It is a good exercise that the sampling of road is being done to check its quality. The Municipal Corporation (MC) should carry out such exercises everywhere so that quality of roads can be improved in the city.”

Sources said the bill was ready for payment to the contractor. However, an official concerned said the payment has not been released to the contractor to date.

He said they would release payments only after obtaining the samples’ report and as per the average measurement of the RMC thickness.

Notably, Additional Commissioner Rishipal Singh has given instructions to the quality control team to conduct sampling of various roads. He had earlier stated that the payments pending to contractors would be released after testing quality of roads.

The sources said the payments of several roads, which had got damaged in a short time after construction in the past, were released without proper testing of the thickness and road quality.

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.