PM Orders Immediate Reforms in NH Construction and Maintenance

07 Jan 2025 CW Team

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for swift reforms within the road transport sector. In a high-level review meeting on Wednesday evening, he instructed the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to address the ongoing issues affecting highway construction and maintenance nationwide.

The meeting highlighted growing concerns about substandard road construction, inadequate project reports, and the prevalence of contractors submitting bids at significantly lower costs than estimated. These issues have led to inferior infrastructure quality, with many under-construction tunnels and bridges facing mishaps, and newly completed highways quickly suffering from potholes and rutting.

Examples such as the Sohna-Dausa stretch of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway and the Amritsar-Jamnagar and Eastern Peripheral Expressways were flagged for their poor riding conditions. In response, NHAI has blacklisted several contractors, imposed fines totalling Rs 23 crore, and implemented bans ranging from one to 24 months.

Modi emphasised the importance of selecting quality-conscious contractors who focus on long-term durability rather than those who underbid to win projects, which often results in poor construction. Additionally, he urged MoRTH and NHAI to stop breaking national highway corridors into smaller packages just to bypass Cabinet approval. Instead, they should submit entire corridor projects for Cabinet approval to ensure greater scrutiny and accountability.

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