JDA's lab out of order for beyond a year, no quality tests on roads

JAIPUR: UDH minister Rajpal Singh Shekhawat has asked for a detailed report on tests done to check quality of roads constructed but Jaipur Development Authority's laboratory, where these tests are conducted, has been non-functional for more than a year.
The laboratory established in JDA's basement has become a dumping yard. Sources in the department said, "The laboratory was set up in 2010 and it has been closed since June 2013.Now, the question arises that how were quality tests conducted in the absence of a laboratory?
Official of quality control cell said, the executive engineer is solely responsible for conducting quality test of road samples. "No other engineer is authorized to carry out the survey and prepare the report. Since June 2013, no sample has been taken by any executive engineer," said a source.
In a meeting last week, the minister demanded a report on quality tests conducted by JDA engineers and actions taken against the guilty contractors.
Also, the Lokayukta has issued a show cause notice to Jaipur development commissioner seeking an explanation on damaged roads at JLN Marg and Tonk Road within the defect liability period.
In absence of quality check on these roads, the bituminous concrete was uprooted from the surface within three years, before the defect liability period could be completed. Other than this, many of the roads including Queens's Road and Sahkar Marg have already developed cracks and require heavy patching by the contractors and many long stretches of these roads are on the verge of break down.
A subject expert Prithvi Singh Kandhal said, "It is not understood what is the sense of the '3-year defect liability' when the BC road surface is supposed to last for 7-8 years on highways (and about 10 years on city roads). After the defect liability period is over pretty soon, JDA would be left with roads on verge of failure which would require premature resurfacing again."
JDA engineers have earlier said these roads were damaged as there is poor water drainage in Jaipur. Also, these roads cannot be tested now for bitumen content, gradation or density because traffic has plied on these roads