Mumbai Metro does not have its own quality control laboratory: RTI

Free Press Journal: Mumbai: Wednesday, June 20, 2018.

The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd authority responsible for constructing Mumbai Metro 3, has admitted it lacks facilities for a well-equipped laboratory of its own. This admission was made in a reply to Anil Galgali in his Right to Information query. Galgali said, “The literature and checks required for the project are being outsourced, through General Consultants for the Mumbai Metro 3 project.”

Galgali said, the application was to learn, about the independent facilities that MMRCL has in-house for quality control which are done in their own laboratory. The Public Information Officer and Advisor (Coordination) Shrinivas Nandirgirkar of MMRCL informed Galgali, “The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd doesn’t have its own independent facilities like laboratory for the purpose of quality control. The literatures and all checking required in the execution of the Mumbai Metro 3 project is being done through appointed General Consultants.”

Galgali alleged this admission is surprising since the MMRCL is dependent on the services of outside consultants on some serious issue like quality control. In a letter addressed to the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Galgali has demanded that the MMRCL should have its own independent laboratory for the execution of the prestigious metro project and a similar independent facility should also be developed by the MMRDA.

The government, through Public Works Department has created such facilities in all the districts of Maharashtra for their projects.

“There no reason for the Metro projects not to have in-house quality control mechanism. It cannot be slack,” said Galgali.

Galgali expressed concern about the carelessness adopted in the execution of Mumbai Metro projects.

“Mumbai Metro Line 3 project has fully equipped laboratories in each civil package for testing of construction materials and these quality assurance tests are witnessed by engineers of the General Consultants. The material are to confirm to the specifications and must meet the detailed quality assurance protocols laid down in implementation of this project,” said spokesperson from MMRCL.