Measurement Book (West Bengal Form No. 2900)

Public Works Department Code

361. The Measurement Book (Bengal Form No. 2900) must be looked upon as the most important record, since it is the basis of all accounts of quantities, whether of work done by daily labour or by the piece work system or by contract, or of materials received, which have to be counted or measured. The description of the work must be lucid, so as to admit of easy identification and check Payments for all works done otherwise than by daily labours and for all supplies should be made on the basis of detailed measurements to be recorded in measurement books in accordance with the rules laid down in Appendix 7.

362. (1) Detailed measurements may be dispensed with in the case of periodical repairs when the quantities are recorded in efficiently maintained Standard Measurement Books under rule 207 of the Code. When a payment is based on standard measurements, the gazetted officer or subordinate preparing the bill for payment should be required to certify that the whole of the work or work since previous running bill, as the case may be, as per standard measurements has been done and that it has not previously been billed for in any shape.

(2) Detailed measurements may also be dispensed with in cases in which advance payments for work actually executed are made on the certificate of a responsible officer (not below the rank of Subdivisional Officer) to the effect that not less than the quantity of work paid for has actually been done, and the officer granting such a certificate will be held personally responsible for any overpayment which may occur on the work in consequence. Final payments may, however, in no case be made without detailed measurements.

(3) Similarly the detailed measurements may be dispensed with in connection with the works done on lump sum contractors, if a responsible officer (not below the rank of a Subdivisional Officer) certifies in the bill that by a superficial and general measurement or in some other suitable method, which should be specified, he has satisfied himself that the value of the work done is not less than a specified amount in conformity with the contract agreement and that with the exception of authorised additions and alterations the work has been done according the prescribed specifications. Detailed measurements must invariably be taken in respect of additions and alterations.

363. (1) The ordinary measurement books belonging to a division should be numbered serially and a register of them should be maintained in Bengal Form No. 4870 in the divisional office showing the serial number of each book, the names of the Subdivisions to which issued, the date of issue and the date of its return, so that its eventual return to the divisional office may be watched. Books outstanding in subdivisional offices for over 2 years should be withdrawn promptly even though not completely written up, and thereafter only those books which were completed should be finally recorded, and the partially used up books reissued to the subdivisional offices every two years.

(2) A similar register should also be maintained in the subdivisional office showing the names of the Subdivisional Officer and the Sectional Officers to whom measurement books are issued.

(3) A register of standard measurement books prepared under rule 207 should also be maintained in the divisional offices in Bengal Form No. 4871.

364. The Superintending Engineer is required to see during his tours that measurement books are carefully kept and measurements properly recorded, and that they are complete records of the actual measurement of each kind of work done for which certificates have been granted.

365. More than one advance payment may be made, without detailed measurement of work actually executed on the certificate of a responsible officer (not below the rank of a Subdivisional Officer), as laid down in rule 362. It should, however, be insisted on that all works executed below ground level, that is work which will in due course be covered over and therefore will, later on, not be susceptible of measurement, should be measured in detail before payments are made, and also that all items of work which are completely finished should be measured up as soon as possible after their completion.

APPENDIX 7
(See rule 207 of the Code, Volume I)

Rules for the preparation and maintenance of standard measurement books

(1) The records of standard measurements should be kept in a special measurement book.

(2) The entries in the measurement books should be made entirely in ink, and all corrections initialled by the Subdivisional Officer.

(3) The striking off or interpolating of items should be allowed only when there is room in the book to make the entries neatly and intelligibly, and the total is changed once only, such striking off and interpolations being signed by the Subdivisional Officer or other responsible officer. If the total has to be changed a second time, then re-writing should be done.

(4) Measurements that can be referred to in the former measurements book the page and item number and do not require alteration, need not be re-writing in detail.

(5) Item number should be given to each total on a page.

(6) The outsides of all buildings should be taken separately and the correct room for entering the measurements of paint work of a door or a window should be the room into which the door or window opens.

(7) The Executive Engineer should check at least 10 per cent, and Sub-divisional Officers 20 per cent, of the standard measurements and should pay due attention to their reliability. The prescribed percentages should be applied to the entries in each, standard measurement book.

(8) The Executive Engineer will sign in full every copy of the standard measurement books after satisfying himself that it is accurate. He will be held personally responsible for this.

(9) The Subdivisional Officer or the subordinate preparing the bill should certify on bills paid on standard measurements that the whole of the work (or work since previous running bill, as the case may be) as per standard measurements has been done and that it has not previously been billed for in any shape.

(10) An annual report should be submitted by the Executive Engineer to the Superintending Engineer stating that all the standard books of the division have been inspected by him, that the entries therein have not been tampered with and that all corrections and alterations in the buildings have been noted in the books and that the latter are reliable and up to date records.

A copy of the Executive Engineers’ reports to Superintending Engineers will be forwarded to the Accountant-General, West Bengal, direct by the Executive Engineers.