New Delhi: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will conduct special quality inspections of 17 under-construction National Highway projects where the quoted bid value was more than 15% below the estimated project cost. The inspections aim to identify quality issues early and ensure timely corrective action.
Projects Selected on Three Criteria
The 17 projects were selected based on three conditions: construction cost above ₹500 crore, tender discount of more than 15%, and physical progress between 35% and 80%.
The projects include greenfield and access-controlled corridors, bypasses, and four- and six-laning works across Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh.
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39 Experienced Engineers to Lead Inspections
NHAI has created a specialised pool of experts for the exercise. Inspection teams will be led by 39 experienced and retired engineers from organisations including the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Defence and State Public Works Departments.
Technical experts will also assist the teams during the inspections.
Construction Quality and Safety Under Check
The teams will assess construction against approved drawings, technical specifications, contract conditions and project-specific quality plans.
They will examine:
- Construction materials and workmanship
- Construction methods
- Sampling and testing records
- Road safety and traffic management measures
- Environmental safeguards, wherever applicable
Any work found below the required standards will be identified for corrective action under the applicable contract provisions.
Inspections to Continue Through 2026
NHAI plans to complete the first round of inspections by December 2026. The identified projects will then undergo another inspection after six months, with a different team of experts.
The exercise will also help NHAI identify recurring quality issues and construction practices where stronger accountability may be required from contractors, consultants and other stakeholders.
The special inspections are in addition to NHAI’s regular quality checks and form part of its wider effort to strengthen monitoring of ongoing National Highway projects and support the development of a high-quality highway network across the country.
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