The Times of India            07.08.2013

Civic body to blacklist contractors

PUNE: The Pune Municipal Corporation standing committee on Tuesday gave a go-ahead to blacklist contractors who have done poor quality road work. The committee also decided to confiscate the deposits of these contractors.

"The decision was taken unanimously. The committee gave directives to the civic administration to provide details of the contractors, who have done poor quality work," said Vishal Tambe, chairman of the standing committee.

While giving contracts for road construction, the administration had fixed a 'defect liability period' for road works for a period of two years, Tambe said. All roads, which have been damaged within this period, will be considered liable for action. Action will be taken against the contractors of these roads and the administration will blacklist them. These contractors will not be able to take up any road repair work once they are blacklisted, he added.

The issue of potholes on city roads became a cause for concern since the beginning of the monsoon season. Apart from the potholes, several parts of the city roads have been damaged due to the loosening of gravel that was used to lay the roads, as a result of which the roads have become accident-prone.

Civic activists and citizens have complained that the poor quality of roads was not only causing inconvenience, but it has also made commuting unsafe. The pothole filled roads have also slowed down traffic, leading to frequent traffic congestions. Motorcyclists getting injured after their vehicles skidded because of the slush, gravel and potholes have also been reported. However, the civic officials have not been able to employ an effective technique to fill the potholes yet.

The poor quality of road construction and resurfacing is evident all over the city.

Civic officials said that the administration had carried out repair works on Senapati Bapat Road, Ganeshkhind, Pashan Road, University of Pune, Bavdhan, Paud Road, Karve Road, Fergusson College Road and Ghole Road, Balgandharva Chowk, Shimla office, S G Barve Chowk, Ghavane and Chandni Chowk, Nal stop, Shivnerinagar, and areas in Kondhwa Budruk, Kothrud and Deccan.

A statement issued by the civic body on Tuesday said that the civic administration repaired 140 potholes in the city including repair works on Senapati Bapat Road, Ganeshkhind, Pashan Road, University of Pune, Bavdhan, Paud Road, Karve Road, Fergusson College Road and Ghole Road, Balgandharva Chowk, Shimla office, S G Barve Chowk, Ghavane and Chandni Chowk, Nal stop, Shivnerinagar, and areas in Kondhwa Budruk, Kothrud and Deccan.