In response to criticism regarding the quality of highway construction, which includes awarding contracts at abnormally low prices, NHAI announced on Wednesday that it will conduct special inspections of 17 national highway projects currently under construction. These projects received bids priced more than 15 percent below the cost calculated by the department.
The first phase of inspections is scheduled to conclude by December. Following this, another group of experts will conduct a follow-up inspection of the identified sites six months later to ensure compliance with construction standards and quality control. NHAI clarified that these checks are in addition to regular monitoring activities and aim for early detection of any quality-related issues to allow for timely corrective measures.
The selection of these projects was based on three criteria: the construction cost exceeds 500 crore rupees, the bid amount is at least 15 percent of the NHAI's estimated value, and the physical progress is between 35 and 80 percent. The road works authority noted that such criteria allow quality control to be focused on projects at critical stages of construction, applying an objective, data-driven approach.
Among the inspected projects are new construction corridors and controlled-access sections, bypass roads, as well as work on building four- and six-lane highways in the states of Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, and Uttar Pradesh.
NHAI reported that it has formed a pool of experts to carry out the inspections. Specialized teams, led by 39 experienced and retired engineers from various government organizations, including ministries of transport, railways, and defense, as well as public works departments, will conduct the checks. Technical specialists will also support the teams during the inspections.
The road works authority stated that the teams will verify the construction progress against approved drawings, technical specifications, contract conditions, and project-specific quality plans. They will assess the quality of construction materials, workmanship, construction methods, as well as records of samples and tests. Inspections will also cover road safety measures, traffic management, and environmental protection, where applicable. Any work not meeting the required standards will be identified, and remedial action will be taken according to applicable contract provisions.