PUNE: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has imposed Rs 50 lakh fine on 33 contractors for poor quality of roads in the civic limits under the defect liability period.
“This is the second phase of action. Earlier, the civic administration had slapped around Rs8 lakh fine on contractors for not carrying out proper road work. More action is on the cards. The civic body is also making them repair the roads,” said V G Kulkarni, head of the PMC’s road department.
The contractors are held responsible for the road quality during the defect liability period (DLP). Asked about filing of criminal complaints against these contractors, a senior PMC official said that repeat offenders are being identified. “The list of errant contractors is being finalised. They will be subjected to severe punishment,” he said.
PMC officials said that contractors are being fined Rs 5,000 for one square metre of pothole. Bigger potholes attract more fines. The civic body has so far collected a fine of around Rs8lakh from contractors. The PMC has claimed that over 11,000 potholes have been repaired in the last three months. However, civic activists and citizens said that these fines are an eyewash. More stringent action such as blacklisting or filing of criminal offences should be initiated against contractors.
Ajit Bhandari, a resident of Nagar Road, said, “The quality of the road shows the real character of the city and the people who run it. Even the high-profile areas have potholed roads. This tarnishes the city’s image, besides causing problems to commuters.” Vivek Velankar of Sajag Nagrik Manch said,”If the quality of road is good, it will not suffer damage after a few showers. But neither the civic administration nor the contractors is worried about the road quality. They don’t care to build roads as per the standards of the Indian Road Congress,” he said.
“This is the second phase of action. Earlier, the civic administration had slapped around Rs8 lakh fine on contractors for not carrying out proper road work. More action is on the cards. The civic body is also making them repair the roads,” said V G Kulkarni, head of the PMC’s road department.
The contractors are held responsible for the road quality during the defect liability period (DLP). Asked about filing of criminal complaints against these contractors, a senior PMC official said that repeat offenders are being identified. “The list of errant contractors is being finalised. They will be subjected to severe punishment,” he said.
PMC officials said that contractors are being fined Rs 5,000 for one square metre of pothole. Bigger potholes attract more fines. The civic body has so far collected a fine of around Rs8lakh from contractors. The PMC has claimed that over 11,000 potholes have been repaired in the last three months. However, civic activists and citizens said that these fines are an eyewash. More stringent action such as blacklisting or filing of criminal offences should be initiated against contractors.
Ajit Bhandari, a resident of Nagar Road, said, “The quality of the road shows the real character of the city and the people who run it. Even the high-profile areas have potholed roads. This tarnishes the city’s image, besides causing problems to commuters.” Vivek Velankar of Sajag Nagrik Manch said,”If the quality of road is good, it will not suffer damage after a few showers. But neither the civic administration nor the contractors is worried about the road quality. They don’t care to build roads as per the standards of the Indian Road Congress,” he said.