New Delhi, Nov 26 (IANS) The National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) signed an MoU with the Confederation of Real Estate Developers' Associations of India (CREDAI) to enhance the quality and reliability of temporary site testing laboratories in civil engineering projects, the Commerce and Industry Ministry said on Tuesday.

“By implementing NABL’s recognition scheme, this collaboration seeks to ensure that materials used in construction are tested accurately on-site, fostering trust in their quality. This initiative will contribute to the overall improvement of construction standards, ensuring safer and more durable structures across India,” the ministry said in a statement.

The MoU was signed in the presence of Commerce & Industry Minister Piyush Goyal. This collaboration aims to recognise temporary site testing laboratories for civil engineering projects.

For civil engineering projects, especially those over 50,000 sq. ft., temporary site testing labs play a crucial role in checking materials like aggregates and concrete cubes directly at the construction site. To ensure these labs maintain the highest standards, NABL has introduced a recognition scheme. This helps boost confidence in the accuracy and reliability of test results, ensuring the materials used are top-quality and contributing to the building of strong, durable structures. NABL is a constituent board of the Quality Council of India (QCI),

The MoU was signed by N. Venkateswaran, CEO of NABL, and Shekar G. Patel, President-Elect of CREDAI, along with Jaxay Shah, Chairman of QCI; Manoj Gaur, Chairman of CREDAI; and Boman R. Irani, president of CREDAI.

Jaxay Shah, Chairman of QCI, highlighting the critical role of quality assurance in civil engineering projects, remarked, “The signing of the MoU between NABL-QCI and CREDAI is a major milestone in ensuring the quality and competency of temporary site testing laboratories. This partnership will contribute to enhancing the reliability of construction materials across India through NABL's recognition scheme and raise the standard of construction projects.

Emphasising the importance of enhancing quality assurance in temporary site testing laboratories, N. Venkateswaran, CEO of NABL, stated, “The MoU with CREDAI is a pivotal step towards ensuring reliability in the construction industry. Through NABL's recognition scheme for temporary site testing laboratories, we aim to instil confidence in the accuracy of test results, thereby strengthening the reliability and integrity of building materials used in construction projects.

This collaboration aims to empower developers across the country by promoting NABL’s Recognition Scheme. It marks a commitment to building a future where excellence in construction is the standard, benefiting both developers and end-users alike, he added.