Poor quality material used to build Gurugram roads, shows MCG report

Officials said the matter came to fore after 10 samples of different MCG roads failed quality checks

Poor-quality materials were used by private contractors to cut costs and siphon off money in the construction of Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) roads, officials of the civic body’s vigilance department said on Wednesday.

The MCG vigilance department investigated allegations of corruption against a few contractors for constructing roads using inferior quality materials in Sector 10, Sector 38, New Palam Vihar, DLF Phase 3 and Basai. (HT Photo)

Officials said the matter came to fore after 10 samples of different MCG roads failed quality checks. Officials said in light of the report, engineers who approved and inspected the construction will face action and the contractors will be asked to return the amount paid to them for the construction work done.

The MCG vigilance department was set up in 2020 and it investigated allegations of corruption against a few contractors for constructing roads using inferior quality materials in Sector 10, Sector 38, New Palam Vihar, DLF Phase 3 and Basai. The contractors were awarded the contract to construct two internal roads each in these areas at costs ranging between ₹50 lakh and ₹1.1 crore, said officials.

In a complaint submitted to MCG commissioner PC Meena and the vigilance department recently, residents from at least five areas said the thickness of roads in their localities, which should have been at least eight inches, was only three to four inches. Moreover, these road became broken and damaged within a month of construction. The construction materials used were also of poor quality, they alleged.

OP Goyal, consultant , engineering wing, MCG, said following complaints from residents, their teams collected samples from at least 10 newly constructed roads. “The locations were mapped, samples were collected and sent for tests. Our teams also took measurements and cross checked details in the work order given to the contractor and approval given by the executive engineer concerned, besides compiling a visual observation report and status of payment,” he said.

Goyal said the amount paid to the contractors for the road construction will be taken back and a penalty will be imposed if the constriction material used is of poor quality. “We are yet to ascertain the cause of broken roads as there are many reasons leading to the present condition. Quality issue apart, poor designing, and weather conditions also lead to bad condition of roads,” he said.

Rohtash Bishnoi , additional municipal commissioner, said the decision of the vigilance team will be final. “We are compiling data that we have gathered and action will be taken shortly,” he said.

Bishnoi said they had received complaints regarding uneven roads, due to which rainwater gets accumulated in the middle of the road. “Stormwater drains are on the right side, while the roads are sloping towards the left. Also, the quality of materials used is so poor that cracks have already started appearing. Monsoon hasn’t even arrived yet,” he said.

PC Meena, MCG commissioner, said in January 2020, a two-member vigilance wing to probe corruption cases in the agency was constituted. “The wing has power to hire an agency for collection and testing of samples related to poor roads. The samples were sent to a private lab and the state government facility in a 50:50 ratio. Once poor construction quality is ascertained, strict action will be taken against the executive engineer and private contractors concerned,” he said.

In January this year, Meena ordered action against four engineers and a contractor after a probe by the corporation concluded that a 1.5km road built in Sarai Alawardi village was not up to standard.

Meena had asked Bishnoi to terminate the contract of the one engineer, who was hired on contract, and blacklist the contractor. The other three MCG engineers faced departmental action. Bishnoi was asked to recover ₹45 lakh given to the contractor.