Govt to set up quality check squad for roads

Tribune News Service

Shimla, July 11

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Wednesday said the state government was setting up an independent quality check squad at the Chief Minister’s Office to ensure quality in construction of roads, bridges and other government buildings in the state.

Presiding over a meeting regarding the implementation of GST and its impact on the Public Works Department (PWD) here on Wednesday, the Chief Minister said the government would take serious note of any delay in the completion of projects or compromise in the quality of construction. He said action would be taken against erring contractors or executing agencies.

Thakur said the government would start a scheme to provide incentives to the executing agencies completing the projects ahead of stipulated time period. This would bring about competitiveness among contractors and check cost escalation in the projects, Thakur said.

The Chief Minister said for ensuring the quality of construction material, the government had decided that except cement, the material approved would be arranged by the contractors themselves from the market.

He said to ensure minimum damage to environment optimum use of muck extracted from the site would be made.The government has authorised the contractors to use the material for construction as per the satisfaction of the engineer in-charge. The contractors can use the crushers to crush the muck extracted at the site of work, he added.

The Chief Minister directed the officers to identify spots where frequent landslides took place during the rainy season. Adequate men and machinery would be deployed there so that in case of landslides commuters would not be inconvenienced.

Manisha Nanda, Additional Chief Secretary, PWD, said the department would ensure best coordination with the executing agencies so that all projects being executed could be completed within stipulated time period and ensure quality control.