Construction agency draws flak for deficiencies

Kuldip Bhatia

Ludhiana, March 30

The agency that was awarded the contract for the construction of the ‘partially access controlled four-lane elevated highway’ from Samrala Chowk to city limit on the National Highway 95, has drawn flak for various deficiencies found during inspection by the authority engineer. On the basis of the inspection report, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has directed the contractors to remove the deficiencies and ensure the compliance of agreement clauses 10.4 and 16.1 in accordance with the observations of the authority engineer.

Information obtained from the Project Implementation Unit of the NHAI here under the Right to Information Act by the Council of RTI Activists president Rohit Sabharwal revealed that the authority engineers – Feedback Infra (providing consultancy services for supervision of the project appointed by NHAI), had pointed out various deficiencies in the existing highway and lack of safety measures, which were in violation of clauses 10.4 and 16.1 of the contract agreement.

In their letter (no FIPL/17-18/Samrala Chowk/AE/378 dated February 13, 2019) to GECPL-SPSCL (JV), the authority’s engineers said: “During the site inspection of the project highway, it is observed that there are several pot holes in the existing highway. The location of pot holes has become very dangerous and vulnerable to accidents. The situation is very alarming and dangerous for commuters.”

The letter further pointed out that apart from this, several expansion joints in the ISBT Flyover, Dugri Flyover, Gill Chowk Flyover, Partap Chowk Flyover and Dholewal ROB are found in damaged conditions. “The repair of expansion joints is required immediately to avoid accidents,” the letter reads, while citing clause 10.4 of the contract agreement, which lays down that the contractor shall maintain the existing lane of project highway traffic worthy and safe for commuters.

Listing lapses on the safety aspects in accordance with clause 16.1 of the contract agreement, the consultants directed the construction agency to erect and maintain barricades, traffic signs, warning signs, flags, lighting, delineators, cat eyes, rumble strips, zebra strips and LED ropes wherever required.

As a follow up to the inspection report of consultants, NHAI Project Director (vide letter no 400/2/NHAI/2018/PIU-LDH/2353 dated February 17, 2019) also wrote to the contractors to immediately repair the pot holes and put safety measures in place to ensure the compliance of the observations made by the authority engineers.

Sabharwal has lodged complaints with the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways as well as the NHAI chairman asking them to appoint a team of experts for site inspection to ensure whether remedial action had been taken by the contractor with regard to deficiencies pointed out by the consultants and take appropriate action against the construction agency for failure to comply with the provisions of the contract agreement.

Elevated Road

"During the site inspection of the project highway, it was observed that there are several pot holes on the existing highway. These pot holes have become very dangerous and vulnerable to accidents. The situation is very alarming and dangerous for commuters." Authority engineers’ letter