Question : QUALITY OF ROADS

(a) the details of the complaints received by the Government regarding the quality of construction work of roads/National Highway roads in the country during the last three years and the current year, State/UTwise including Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh along with the action taken thereon;

(b) whether the Government has evolved any mechanism to inspect the quality of construction of roads/NH roads in the country;

(c) if so, the details thereof along with the findings of the inspection carried out during the period; and

(d) the steps taken or being taken by the Government to ensure quality of construction of National Highways?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS (SHRI SARVEY SATHYANARAYANA)

(a) The Ministry is primarily responsible for development and maintenance of National Highways (NHs). Development and maintenance of other type of roads is entrusted with the concerned State Governments and other executing agencies. Complaints regarding quality of construction work on NH, whenever received, are examined and action taken as per extant policy and in accordance with the provisions of the contract agreements. The State/Union Territory (UT)-wise details of the complaints regarding the quality of construction work of NHs in the country including Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh during the last three years and the current year along with the action taken thereon are annexed. Action on the cases under investigation shall depend on the outcome of the investigation. There is no time frame for such investigations.

(b) to (d) All NH projects are constructed as per quality standards specified in Indian Roads Congress (IRC) / Ministry of Road Transport & Highways specifications. Supervision / Independent Consultants are appointed for closely monitoring the quality of construction through regular checks and tests. Besides, quality of construction is also closely monitored by field officers executing the project and Regional Officers (ROs) of the Ministry including Officers from headquarters.
Further,Bottom of Form Vigilance Division of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) conducts surprise checks to examine the quality of material used in road construction. Such checks are conducted at construction sites without prior information to the field officers as well as contractors and the samples of materials collected are tested independently.