Mrinaltai Gore flyover contractor penalised Rs 27 lakh earlier: BMC on construction quality criticism
The penalty amount is less than one-percent of the total project cost, which stood at Rs 248 crore, which included a 45 per cent cost escalation.
One of the key lapses highlighted in the report was the vigilance team had already highlighted the possibility of development of cracks on the road surface of the Mrinaltai Gore flyover once it opened for traffic. (Express photo by Amit Chakravarty)
Amid the ongoing criticism pertaining to the construction quality of the newly opened Mrinaltai Gore flyover, data furnished by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) show that in the past eight years, since the construction of the bridge had started, a total penalty of Rs 27 lakh was implemented on the contractor.
The penalty amount is less than one-percent of the total project cost, which stood at Rs 248 crore, which included a 45 per cent cost escalation.
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The Indian Express had earlier reported on how the BMC’s internal vigilance department had flagged multiple structural faults in the bridge in 2021 five years ahead of its inauguration.
Speaking to The Indian Express, officials said that while the construction of the bridge was underway, several inspection drives were carried out by the civic engineers when discrepancies were seen at the project site, for which the contractor was penalised.
Usually, the contractor is penalised for flouting general contract conditions, some of which include using poor quality of raw materials, unable to finish certain work during a given deadline as well as other concerns like safety issues and mismanagement of manpower.
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“Some discrepancy that was seen at the site included not providing safety gears to laborers, delaying the construction work and various issues pertaining to the maintenance of the site. The contractor was penalised multiple times in the last eight years, and in total the penalty amount as on date, stands at Rs 27 lakh,” the official said.
The construction work for the bridge started in 2018, while it took eight years for the contractor to complete the job.
The authorities maintained that the total amount of penalty imposed also included a penalty implemented for delaying the project deadline.
The officials maintained that since the construction period involved the period of pandemic outbreak between 2020 and 2021, when the issue of raw material procurement and labour mobilisation became an issue.
As a result, the civic body did not impose any penalty on them for that period owing to the emergency situation. The 750 meter flyover was planned in 2016 as an extension to the Mrinal tai Gore Flyover. At present, the flyover provides a direct link between Ram Mandir and Goregaon allowing motorists to directly zip through this flyover instead of tacking the SV Road or Link Road.
One of the key lapses highlighted in the report was the vigilance team had already highlighted the possibility of development of cracks on the road surface of the Mrinaltai Gore flyover once it opened for traffic. (Express photo by Amit Chakravarty) 
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