Cement road cracks increase, builder exits as NMC sleeps

Nagpur: Cracks on some cemented stretches of Great Nag Road have widened, and also increased in number in last five years, causing inconvenience to citizens. Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), though, is not taking any action, and has also approved early exit of contractor Mumbai-based Unity Infraprojects Private Limited from the project. It is also learnt the contractor’s defect liability period (DLP) has lapsed and the civic body will have to bear the cost of re-concretization, incurring loss of public money.
A visit to Great Nag Road revealed cracks developed five years ago on the stretch between Bhola Ganesh Square (Juni Shukrawari Chowk) and Reshimbagh Square have become wider, causing severe inconvenience to citizens. Also, the number of cracks between Reshimbagh Square and KDK College has increased to a great extent.
The contractor had concretized the stretch between KDK College and Jagnade Square in 2012. The stretch between Jagnade Square and Reshimbagh Square was concretized in 2013. Cracks started to develop on these two stretches in 2014.
NMC did nothing, excluding an inquiry through a consultant in 2015, and an examination through Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) two years ago. CRRI had submitted measures to repair the stretches a year ago. NMC never laid the responsibility of repairs on Unity.
Citing liquidation, Unity had sought early exit from the project and this was approved by NMC in February.
An official from Unity told TOI, DLP of the work on stretches with cracks lapsed two years ago, so it was not their responsibility to repair them. “DLP was for four years and stretches were concretized over six years ago. Also, we are not responsible for cracks we already conveyed to NMC,” he said.
The official added cracks developed due to faulty design of NMC. “Cement roads are constructed with a thickness of 350mm. NMC prepared the design of these two stretches with thickness of 200mm. Also, design of panels was 4.5 meter, which should have been 3.5 meter. Later, NMC revised design for remaining stretches and there are no problems. Fine example is road connecting Reshimbagh Square to Umred Road,” he said.
NMC chief engineer Ulhas Debadwar and superintending engineer Manoj Talewar did not respond to TOI’s calls.
NMC sources said the engineers are yet to decide nature of works to be undertaken on these two stretches. “Only ray of hope is NMC having Rs3.50 crore security deposit and bank guarantee of Unity. But a question arises whether NMC can use this money for repairs,” the sources said.
While approving early exit of Unity, NMC had imposed only one condition that Unity will bear excess cost of contract to be issued to new contractor for executing works on remaining nine roads of the project.
Leader of opposition Tanaji Wanve said entire cost of repairs should be recovered from engineers and consultants. “I have been demanding repairs for last four years and none paid heed. NMC left the people to face mishaps and inconvenience,” he said.
Unity got the contract for concretization of 30 roads of 26.84km on June 6, 2011 and deadline of two years. Unity could concretize 12 roads of 8.43km and started works on 8 roads of 8.55km till February. Approving early exit to Unity, NMC decided to execute remaining works through a new contractor. The tendering process is in final stages.
Meanwhile, Unity has completed works on 6 roads. Works on remaining two roads are likely to be completed within a month.
IAN
* NMC appointed Unity for concretization of 30 roads in June 2011
* Defect liability period of work was four years
* Stretch between KDK College and Jagnade Square was completed in 2013
* Works between Jagnade Square and Reshimbagh Square were finished in 2014
* Cracks developed on these two stretches within a year
* NMC did nothing except asking for report from consultant in 2015
* NMC approved early exit of Unity in February
* Now, cracks are wider and also increased in two stretches
* NMC will have to repair stretches on its own cost