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The Hindu
2 days ago
- General
- The Hindu
Collapsed and cracked NH 66 stretches in Kerala built in violation of Union Ministry specifications, finds inquiry report
Most of the construction packages of national highway (NH) 66 in Kerala, which have either collapsed or developed cracks, were built in violation of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) specifications, says an expert study. Though the 'inspection report on slope stability, protection measures for slopes, embankments, and other vulnerable locations on NH 66', commissioned by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), following the incidents has not fixed the responsibility on any agency, it has exposed serious lapses in the road construction. While the NH collapsed at Kooriyad, Malappuram, the sidewalls of the road structure caved in some parts of Kannur and a service road sank in Kasaragod. The road stretch had also developed cracks in some other parts of the State, leading to widespread public outrage. The committee, which had Kishor Kumar, former chief scientist of Central Road Research Institute, New Delhi, K. Aravind, director, Geological Survey of India, State unit (Tamil Nadu and Puducherry), T. K. Sudheesh, Associate Professor and Head, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Palakkad and P.S. Prasad, chief scientist, Geotechnical Engineering Division, Central Road Research Institute, New Delhi, as its members, submitted its report earlier this week. Caution against potential landslides The panel has also sounded caution about the potential landslides and the resultant widespread structural damage and traffic disruptions in several reaches of the NH 66, while prescribing mitigation measures to the critical road stretches to 'safeguard against future instability.' Investigations revealed that none of the packages for construction followed the methodology or construction sequence of the slope stabilisation with soil nailing (a technique used to reinforce and stabilise slopes) as per the MoRTH specifications. The 'improper methodology/construction sequence followed for the slope cutting and the soil nailing method' led to the failing of slopes along the NH. 'In many locations, the soil layers and their properties are not considered in the design. The groundwater table was not considered in the design of soil nailing,' the report pointed out. It strongly recommended that 'comprehensive geotechnical investigations, site-specific geological mapping, slope stability analyses, and foundation engineering studies be carried out before implementing any design changes, remedial measures, or slope protection works.' Such assessments are 'particularly crucial in geologically sensitive and failure-prone areas such as high vertical cut slopes, lateritic terrain, weathered rock interfaces, backwater foundations, and zones of inadequate 'Right of Way' where generic solutions may not be effective without tailored geotechnical input,' the committee has warned. Firms blacklisted The MoRTH had blacklisted the Andhra Pradesh-based construction company KNR Constructions and the consultancy firm Highway Engineering Consultant following the collapse, which had kicked up a series of public protests. While the Congress-led Opposition in Kerala cried foul and raised the allegation of a tacit understanding between the BJP-CPI(M) regarding the damaged roads, the Chief Minister and the Minister for Public Works, who had highlighted the completion of the road project as the major achievement of the LDF government, adopted a conciliatory stance by stating that the NHAI would carry out the rectification works. The nearly 600km-long road runs through the urban centres of Kasaragod, Kannur, Kozhikode, Kochi, Alappuzha, Kollam, and Thiruvananthapuram, before entering Tamil Nadu at Karode.
The Hindu
31-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Global recognition for Uralungal model
The model set by Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society (ULCCS) was recognised at the International Forum on the Social Economy Held in Donostia – San Sebastián from May 28 to 30, according to a release. The main focus of discussions was reducing inequality and strengthening social labour. Kishor Kumar, chief project coordinator of ULCCS and director of the National Labour Federation, presented a paper titled 'The Model Uralungal Offers the World in the Social Economic Framework' at the event, it said. The release said that the international forum served as a significant platform to highlight cooperative models, social enterprises, and labour organisations before global policymakers and institutions. It brought the social wealth economy models into global focus, it said.
Time of India
30-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
NHAI admits to design failure; suspends project director, terminates site engineer
Kozhikode: Taking stern action on the collapse of the NH-66 stretch at Kooriyad in Malappuram, the NHAI on Thursday suspended the project director and terminated the services of the site engineer. The highways authority also directed the concessionaire to clear the debris at the site and rectify the damage by constructing a new flyover at a cost of Rs 80 crore. According to sources, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is considering building a viaduct to replace the collapsed embankment cutting through a paddy field. A show cause notice for debarring for one year was issued, along with a fine of Rs 20 lakh, against design consultant Strata Geosystem Mumbai and HBS Infra Engineers, Hyderabad, which was engaged by the concessionaire. NHAI also issued a show cause notice to safety consultant Sri Infotech, engaged by it, along with a fine of Rs 20 lakh. It has constituted an additional three-member expert committee comprising Kishor Kumar, retired CRRI senior scientist; Sudheesh T K, associate professor, IIT Palakkad; and V Ambili, deputy director general, Geological Survey of India, to assess the adequacy of slope protection measures adopted and embankment/RE wall design for all 17 ongoing projects on NH-66 in Kerala. The authority had earlier said a preliminary assessment suggested that the failure of the Kooriyad NH stretch was due to the inability of the foundation soil to support the high embankment loads. On May 21, it suspended the concessionaire, KNR Constructions, Hyderabad, from participating in future bids and issued a show cause notice to levy a penalty of Rs 11.8 crore as well as debarment for up to one year. Design failure: NHAI chairman Santhosh Kumar Yadav and secretary to the ministry of road transport and highways, V Umashankar, admitted before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that a design flaw had led to the collapse of the under-construction stretch. They made the admission at a PAC meeting held in New Delhi on Thursday. PAC chairman K C Venugopal MP told reporters after the meeting that the committee directed the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) to conduct a performance audit, including examining the contract and design of the road stretch of NH-66. The CAG audit was ordered as there were other complaints, including about granting sub-contracts to other firms for carrying out the works. The PAC was told that it was the concessionaire that finalised the road design and, as such, had responsibility for the lapse. Venugopal said a team led by the NHAI chairman would visit the mishap sites in Kerala for three days from Saturday. He said the team would also visit road stretches with potential risk for similar incidents. Meanwhile, a three-member committee of experts from IIT Palakkad, CRRI and GSI was constituted to inspect the sites where charges of unscientific construction have been levelled. They were asked to inspect the accident site, visit areas with potential risk for similar incidents and ensure that future construction work proceeds only after such risks are ruled out. PAC has also asked the NHAI to submit a report in this regard within three weeks. Venugopal, who visited the Kooriyad site on Wednesday, said the design and construction were not suited to Kerala's unique conditions. "For example, in Kooriyad — an area filled with paddy fields and wetlands — the road was constructed without a strong basement. Though local people pointed out that an elevated highway would be more appropriate, that suggestion was ignored," he said. Meanwhile, another section of the retaining wall of the Kooriyad stretch collapsed on Thursday. The newly collapsed site is near the site of the previous embankment failure on May 19. Also, with continued heavy rainfall, nearby paddy fields have become waterlogged. NHAI project director Anshul Sharma and assistant director Abhishek Kala conducted an on-site inspection. Following the collapse, vehicles are being diverted through the Kooriyad–Panambuzha road managed by Vengara panchayat.
