Ulhasnagar: The Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation (UMC) has taken strong action against alleged substandard road construction after cracks were found on two key under-construction roads in the city. Acting on complaints and a joint inspection report, the UMC has instructed the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) to get the damaged portions of the roads demolished and reconstructed at the contractor’s cost and also get filled some cracks.The affected roads include the stretch from Netaji Chowk to Kailash Colony and another from New English School to Lal Chakki. These roads are being developed at an estimated cost of Rs 52 crore and are considered important connectivity routes within Ulhasnagar. Cracks were reportedly noticed at multiple locations, raising serious concerns about the quality of construction.Following UMC’s directions, the MMRDA issued a notice to the contractor, Nikhil Construction Group Pvt Ltd, stating that a third-party quality inspection would be conducted through a reputed technical institute such as VJTI. The notice also clarified that all costs related to testing, reporting, and further investigation would be borne by the contractor. Until a satisfactory quality assessment report is submitted and all rectification works are completed, payments to the contractor have been withheld.The road construction work has been underway for over two years and has repeatedly drawn criticism for slow progress and poor workmanship. Social activists from the Ulhasnagar Citizens Forum had raised several complaints regarding the quality of the work, prompting the civic administration to intervene.Sources said that after receiving the complaints, UMC Commissioner Manisha Awhale directed a joint inspection of the project. The inspection team included officials from the public works department, representatives of the contractor, and other concerned agencies. During the inspection, cracks were found at several locations, including Netaji Chowk, Bhatiya Chowk, Kurla Camp Chowk, near Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue entrance, and Kailash Colony.Based on the findings, the UMC instructed that minor cracks be filled immediately, while severely damaged sections—where repairs were deemed ineffective—be demolished and reconstructed entirely. Acting on these recommendations, project management consultant Pentacle Consultants issued a formal directive to the contractor to comply with the instructions.Satyajit Burman, a social activist who highlighted the issue, told TOI, that the road contract was awarded in April 2023 with a completion timeline of 18 months. “Even after two-and-a-half years, the work is progressing at a very slow pace and the quality is unacceptable,” he said.Further action will depend on the outcome of the third-party quality inspection, officials said
