Burdwan gets first labs to test road-building materials
The Statesman | 1 December 2025
To combat the recurring problem of contractors supplying substandard materials for road construction in panchayat areas, the East Burdwan Zilla Parishad today introduced a new facility termed a civil laboratory to enable on-the-spot scrutiny of construction ingredients.
At Kshetia Panchayat, the first such laboratory was inaugurated by Gargi Naha, deputy chief of the zilla parishad. She said that 16 such civil labs, one for each block, will be installed in phases. “Panchayats in our district will first obtain test reports before disbursing payments against bills, and this system has now been made mandatory,” she said.
The key tests to be conducted at these labs include crushing tests, abrasion tests, impact tests, specific gravity and water absorption tests, and shape tests, along with bitumen adhesion tests — all essential for assessing the longevity of rural roads.
Sandip Sarkar, district coordinator of the Institutional Strengthening of Gram Panchayats (ISGP) Cell, was present at the event. He said: “The introduction of such labs will help panchayats ascertain the actual quality of work before releasing funds, ensuring guaranteed civil works, as contractors will be more cautious.”
Officials added that soil tests such as optimum moisture content (OMC), maximum dry density (MDD), and grain size analysis of sand have always been crucial in road construction.
At present, 32 panchayats across three blocks have been linked to the pioneering laboratory at Kshetia. State panchayat minister Pradip Majumdar expressed optimism about establishing such labs in rural areas. He said: “Testing materials used in road construction has always been essential to ensure durability and safety.” He added: “We used to receive frequent complaints about poor construction quality, but our panchayats never had such on-the-spot testing facilities for immediate verification.”