Officers, engineers to face penalties for repeat failures in monitoring NH projects | India News
NEW DELHI: Now officers and engineers of NHAI, road ministry and other agencies involved in NH construction will be held responsible for failures in quality works and of structures. They will face major or minor penalties for repeat failures to comply with the norms for supervision or in case of failure of any structure during construction and operation.
Till now the authorities have been only penalizing the contractors and consultants supervising works or independent engineers for any failure.
According to a circular issued this week, the road transport ministry has specified the responsibility of the officers in-charge at site such as project directors, regional officers and executive directors to inspect the project to ensure proven construction methodology of the work is being followed.
The ministry said despite the provision in contracts for enforcing quality assurance and quality control there have been instances of “lapses” on the part of construction companies or contractors and supervision consultants, which have resulted in failures during construction.
The circular said to ensure no compromise with quality, the officers concerned will mandatorily inspect the project to ensure that approved quality assurance plan is being diligently followed by contractors and consultants. They will have to carry out sample laboratory and onsite tests on important quality characteristics of materials, mixes, process and final products.
The officers will have to carry out monthly inspection of all projects and in the case of works costing more than Rs 300 crore and projects involving a bridge of more than 60 meters, they have to carry out bi-monthly inspection. For projects worth Rs 100 crore to 300 crore, quarterly inspection is mandatory.
The circular said there will be graded action for failure of officers in their duty. For example, they will be advised and warned for the first two instances of failures and in the third instance the warning will be recorded. “Instances of failures exceeding three times or failure of structure during construction or operation will attract major or minor penalties,” an official said.
Till now the authorities have been only penalizing the contractors and consultants supervising works or independent engineers for any failure.
According to a circular issued this week, the road transport ministry has specified the responsibility of the officers in-charge at site such as project directors, regional officers and executive directors to inspect the project to ensure proven construction methodology of the work is being followed.
The ministry said despite the provision in contracts for enforcing quality assurance and quality control there have been instances of “lapses” on the part of construction companies or contractors and supervision consultants, which have resulted in failures during construction.
The circular said to ensure no compromise with quality, the officers concerned will mandatorily inspect the project to ensure that approved quality assurance plan is being diligently followed by contractors and consultants. They will have to carry out sample laboratory and onsite tests on important quality characteristics of materials, mixes, process and final products.
The officers will have to carry out monthly inspection of all projects and in the case of works costing more than Rs 300 crore and projects involving a bridge of more than 60 meters, they have to carry out bi-monthly inspection. For projects worth Rs 100 crore to 300 crore, quarterly inspection is mandatory.
The circular said there will be graded action for failure of officers in their duty. For example, they will be advised and warned for the first two instances of failures and in the third instance the warning will be recorded. “Instances of failures exceeding three times or failure of structure during construction or operation will attract major or minor penalties,” an official said.
