Lucknow: Third-party audit of major civic projects will now be mandatory to ensure quality and transparency in construction works, mayor Sushma Kharkwal said during a high-level review meeting of the engineering department at the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) headquarters on Monday.Chairing the meeting, the mayor stressed that there would be no compromise on the quality of roads and other infrastructure projects, warning that poor construction not only wastes public funds but also poses risks to citizens. Municipal commissioner Gaurav Kumar, chief engineer (civil) Mahesh Verma, executive engineers, assistant engineers and junior engineers were present.
The mayor instructed officials to ensure that road construction works are completed in a systematic and continuous manner rather than in patches as incomplete stretches cause inconvenience to the public. She also directed that drains must be constructed along both sides of roads to prevent waterlogging, and footpaths should be built along wider roads for pedestrian safety.Special emphasis was laid on pre-monsoon preparedness. Engineers were asked to assess the structural condition of drains in their respective areas and begin repairs immediately wherever damage was found. Open drains located near roads are to be identified and covered to reduce the risk of accidents, and thorough cleaning of drains before the monsoon was made mandatory.The meeting also reviewed works being carried out under ward development funds, the 15th Finance Commission, infrastructure funds, CM Global Nagarodaya Yojana, CM Grid and CM Nagar Srijan Yojana. Contractors found to be lagging behind schedule will be issued final warning notices, and those failing to improve may be blacklisted and replaced through fresh tenders.The mayor reiterated that strengthening basic urban infrastructure, while ensuring transparency, accountability and quality in development works, remains the top priority of the municipal corporation.
