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 New Delhi, October 4: The worst fears of the Rajinder Nagar Residents’ Welfare Association have been confirmed. Using the Right to Information Act (RTI), they had forced the MCD to give them a sample of the material used to construct a road in their colony. The results have come in and it’s what they had always suspected. The right proportion of materials wasn’t used and hence the frequent repairs. And this could be the story across the Capital.
S.P.Gupta, who heads the RWA, had filed an RTI application against the MCD, asking it to furnish a sample of the material used to construct the road opposite Salwan Public School. ‘‘The road was constructed this February and we saw potholes and cracks a month later. Some portions had even got washed away. A cement road is suppose to last for at least 10-15 years while this one was giving way within days!’’ said Gupta.
On September 2, MCD replied to the RTI application after it was pulled up by the Public Grievance Commission. Its staff arrived to give the RWA a sample of the road material for testing even as it sent another sample to its quality control department. The RWA sent its sample to Sri Ram Laboratory which has now sent its report. It says the ratio of cement, sand and stone aggregate in the sample is 1:1.5:7. The prescribed ratio is 1:2:4.
‘‘We are aware that the report on their sample implies that road construction is not right. However, we are waiting for the report from our quality control office...we will then compare the two reports. At times there may be a slight variation in proportion of constituents,’’ said B.B. Jaiswal, Executive Engineer, MCD.
This ‘‘slight variation’’ can, however, wreak havoc, admitted Jaiswal. ‘‘If the ratio is not 1:2:4, the road will weaken and ‘compaction’ will not be adequate. This can cause damage...Though that may not be the case with this road, if the quality control report also says so, we will take action against the contractors,’’ said Jaiswal. He could not recall the name of the agency and suggested that, perhaps, there were two.
‘‘We plan to file an FIR against the MCD. We will also write to the Chief Minister and Lieutenant-Governor and approach the Anti-Corruption Branch,’’ said Gupta. |