Panel flags huge gap in NHAI's sanctioned cost, awarded rate for NH-66
The committee headed by Congress MP KC Venugopal flagged the huge gap between sanctioned and awarded costs and asked if the projects were being carried out as originally specified in the detailed project report (DPR) and whether subcontracting at lower costs affected the quality and scale of the work.
In its report, the parliamentary panel also cited submissions by the ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH) to underline that most road infrastructure projects were executed by sub-contractors, who might not be accountable under the primary contract framework. The committee stated that this unchecked layering of contractors and subcontractors had led to the diffusion of accountability, as the National Highways Authority of India had limited leverage to enforce quality standards or ensure timely delivery.
Among other lacunae, the committee noted that several highway stretches have failed due to the use of high earthen embankments over unstable soil, without reinforced structures or geogrids.
It also stated that land acquisition constraints were not adequately reconciled with design feasibility, resulting in unsafe or compromised alignments. The committee noted that recurring deficiencies in national highway construction underscore the NHAI's failure to integrate local technical expertise and site-specific inputs during the DPR and design stages.
'Diverse terrain and environmental sensitivities across India call for routine consultations with the Geological Survey of India (GSI) or the Central Road Research Institute, state-level public works departments, revenue authorities, or district-level engineering officials. Customised designs have to be applied in fragile zones such as waterlogged areas, paddy fields, etc, with adequate consideration of soil stability, drainage needs, and hydrological conditions.'
The committee also recommended that a formal mechanism be established to record suggestions from MPs, MLAs, MLCs, urban and rural local bodies, state-level institutions, including disaster management agencies, to be incorporated into DPRs, with written justification provided for any exclusions.
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