In a first, ministry to conduct quality checks of new roads

03 Aug 2022 CW Team

Amid rapid highway construction and concerns over whether contractors are adhering to quality specifications, the Road Transport Ministry has for the first time decided to carry out audits of construction quality and safety of completed and under-construction stretches.

To begin with, the ministry has appointed six independent experts to examine different stretches of the flagship Char Dham road project in Uttarakhand. Officials said this system would be institutionalised for the highway sector to ensure that the roads meet the quality parameters set by the government.

According to the ministry’s order, the experts have been tasked to review the official setup of authority engineers, including the competence of the technical persons deployed for projects. Authority or independent engineers have a big role in ensuring that there is no compromise in quality of work and required safety features in a project. The payment to contractors is released by road owning agencies only after the bills are cleared by authority engineers.

There have been some recent cases of newly-built highways getting damaged due to rain in different parts of the country. Last week, Union minister Nitin Gadkari raised concerns over quality of work on National Highway stretches, where the investment is high.

Infrastructure Transport

05 Feb 2026

MMRDA Installs 325-Tonne Steel Spans on Mumbai Metro Line 4

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has achieved a key construction milestone on Metro Line 4 with the successful installation of three large steel spans at Bhandup West during overnight operations.The spans, together weighing 325 metric tonnes, were launched using eight heavy-duty cranes and 12 multi-axle vehicles. The operation required precise engineering and meticulous planning to minimise disruption in the densely populated suburban area.Due to effective inter-agency coordination, the work—originally scheduled across four nights—was completed within just two n..

CMRL Targets March 2027 Opening for Vadapalani–Panagal Park

Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) is progressing as scheduled to open the Vadapalani–Panagal Park section of Phase II’s Corridor 4 by March 2027. The 3.5 km underground stretch is part of the 26.1 km Corridor 4 connecting Lighthouse with Poonamallee Bypass.Construction activities are advancing steadily, with tunnelling works between Vadapalani and Panagal Park already completed. Track-laying operations are expected to commence shortly. At Panagal Park station, structural works have reached the concourse and platform levels, while excavation continues at the lowest level.CMRL is also consid..

Maha-Metro Invites Pune Metro Civil Maintenance Bids

Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited (Maha-Metro) has invited bids for the annual civil maintenance contract of the Pune Metro Rail Project. The tender, bearing ID and number P1-O&M-20/2025, is scheduled to close on 23 February 2026, with a pre-bid meeting slated for 10 February 2026. The earnest money deposit (EMD) for the contract is Rs 3,50,500, and the duration of the contract is one year.The scope of work includes annual civil maintenance of 28 elevated and underground stations, 28.079 km of elevated viaduct including steel bridges, 12.15 km of tunnels, and two depots under the ..