AMC Cracks Down on Road Contractors: 5-Year DLP for Bitumen Roads and Mandatory GPS Tracking for Hotmix Dumpers

AHMEDABAD — The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has issued a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) aimed at overhauling the quality, accountability, and record-keeping standards across all road resurfacing, road widening, and new road construction projects in the city. Under the strict new directives, contractors will face rigorous monitoring ranging from real-time vehicle tracking to long-term structural liability.

GPS Tracking and Mandatory SCADA Compliance

To ensure material reaches its designated site without diversion, every dumper transporting hotmix material must now be fitted with a GPS tracking device. Details from both the plant and the construction site will sync via GPS directly to the city’s Smart City-311 system. Bills will be processed only after this tracking data is verified.

Furthermore, hotmix plants must strictly implement SCADA systems. Payment will be released based on SCADA-recorded quantities, but only after cross-verification with weighbridge weight slips. In cases of discrepancy, payment will be settled strictly on the lower of the two figures. AMC clarified that project delays resulting from non-functional SCADA systems will not entitle contractors to timeline extensions.

5-Year Defect Liability Period and Bi-Annual Inspections

Under the revised norms, AMC has set the Defect Liability Period (DLP) for bitumen road works at 5 years, while other civil works will carry a 1-year DLP. Tenders covering DLP terms must be sanctioned under separate approvals.

Roads covered under the DLP will undergo joint inspections twice every year—once before the monsoon and once after:

• Joint Task Force: Inspections will be carried out jointly by the contractor, the Project Management Consultant (PMC), and AMC officials.
• Damage Assessment: Reports will explicitly record erosion, potholes, and surface deterioration.
• Repair Records: Any defects identified during the DLP, along with details of repairs carried out—including work assigned to third-party contractors and the associated costs—must be formally documented.

Public Transparency and Mandatory Record Submissions

Contractors and PMC representatives must submit an annual compliance form for every road under DLP. This report will feature:

• Road dimensions (length and width), total project cost, and final expenditure.
• Contact details of the contractor and PMC, alongside DLP start and end dates.
• Pre-monsoon and post-monsoon road conditions backed by site photographs.

Even after the DLP expires, a final joint site visit by the contractor, PMC, and AMC officials is mandatory before concluding the records on Smart City-311.

To foster public accountability, AMC will publish DLP road details directly on its official website. Updated twice yearly—on 1 July and 1 November—the portal will display contractor details, project metrics, and year-by-year road status reports from year one through year five.

Mandatory Quality Testing and Mix Design Approvals

Before initiating any construction, contractors must collect raw material samples in the presence of a PMC representative and test them at an NABL-accredited laboratory. Once materials meet standards, a mix design conforming to Ministry of Road Transport specifications must be submitted with PMC verification for formal approval by the concerned Deputy Municipal Commissioner.

Quality testing responsibilities have been split across specific tiers:

• 80% of tests: Conducted at the plant or field laboratory.
• 10% of tests: Executed at state government-approved laboratories.
• 10% of tests: Handled by GERI, government engineering colleges, government polytechnics, or AMC-managed laboratories.

All quality tests must occur in the presence of a PMC representative and undergo formal verification by an AMC engineering officer.

Bitumen Invoice Audits and Photo Documentation

To claim price adjustments or avoid billing disputes, contractors must submit original bitumen purchase invoices alongside running or final bills. Plants supplying bitumen across multiple zones or projects are required to maintain a Joint Bitumen Consumption Register. Both original invoices and consumption logs will be audited prior to settling any price variations or cost recoveries.

Additionally, plant and field inspection reports, along with geo-tagged photographs captured before, during, and after construction, must be uploaded to the Smart City-311 portal. Standardised forms have been introduced to streamline inspections at both hotmix plants and paver sites.