Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari has raised concerns about the quality of construction in highway projects funded entirely by the government or executed through the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) mode. Gadkari has called on the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and other highway ministry divisions to prioritise projects conducted under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode. In PPP projects, contractors either recover their investments through toll collection or receive payments from highway agencies over an extended period, which fosters greater accountability for construction quality among private players.Gadkari noted that the quality of road construction in EPC contracts executed by various highway agencies is unsatisfactory while emphasising that projects following the Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) and Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM) formats tend to yield better quality work. He urged agencies to expedite project delivery, acknowledging the urgency in light of upcoming elections.Union Road Transport Secretary Anurag Jain also addressed the issue of construction quality, attributing the problem to poor workmanship. He questioned why contractors fail to deliver good quality work despite receiving payments. Jain called on officials to avoid the blame game and emphasised the need for stringent quality control measures. He highlighted the importance of reviewing Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) and closely monitoring independent engineers. Jain also stressed the significance of conducting checks at contractor-operated laboratories to ensure high-quality work.Minister of State for Highways, Gen (retd) V K Singh, acknowledged the significant progress in highway development but noted that even minor issues often result in criticism for highway agencies.During the workshop, Gadkari instructed officials to develop a roadmap for the immediate execution of projects worth up to Rs 3 trillion. He also warned of consequences for project delays and issues, emphasising the need for swift resolution. Gadkari urged officials to respond to public concerns and address project-related problems promptly to avoid negative media coverage, highlighting the impact of social media in today's environment. If you want to learn more about Indian Roads, make sure you sign-up for the India Roads Conference at the India Construction Festival on October 12th in New Delhi Click HERE and reserve your seats! Or call Deepali on 82919 95574....