The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has demonstrated its dedication to road quality by rejecting a batch of defective concrete that had a “slump” rating that was higher than allowed following a recent examination. Because an excessively fluid mixture can weaken the concrete’s strength and durability, local authorities are turning to specialists from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay for advice. The subpar batch was promptly returned in accordance with their recommendations, and the contractors and the Quality Control Agency (QCA) received notices requesting justifications and remedial actions.
To maintain stringent quality standards, the BMC has made the “Slump Test” mandatory at both Ready-Mix Concrete (RMC) plants and work sites. During an inspection of ongoing concretisation work on Nitu Mandke Marg in Mankhurd-Agrawadi village and Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati Marg in Chembur, Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) Abhijeet Bangar found a batch that failed to meet the required slump test standards. As a result, the delivery truck was turned away, and a fresh concrete mix was ordered to resume work.
Experts from IIT noted that transporting concrete from RMC plants to work sites typically takes between 30 and 90 minutes, which can impact its consistency. Contractors were therefore instructed to develop three different concrete mix designs based on estimated travel time, which should be verified using Google Maps to ensure quality upon arrival. Bangar further directed civic officials to issue a detailed circular outlining these guidelines. He emphasized that engineers must not only oversee technical aspects but also actively participate in testing and monitoring quality on-site.
Additionally, after hearing complaints regarding the condition of the roadworks, civic officials conducted an inspection of the Yashwant Nagar-Chembur area. In order to determine whether the pre-cast concrete road at the Godrej Complex in Vikhroli is feasible for municipal road building, Bangar also inspected it and directed talks with IIT specialists. BMC’s Deputy Commissioner (Infrastructure), Shashank Bhore, QCA representatives, and IIT professors P. Vedgiri and Solomon Dibbarty attended the inspection, underscoring the company’s emphasis on guaranteeing excellent standards in Mumbai’s road projects.
Source: The Free Press Journal
