Date: 2025-07-03Category: Not ApplicableState: Union GovernmentCountry: India
NHAI suspends contractor, authority engineer and NHAI official for distressed condition of pavement at some locations on Amritsar-Jamnagar corridor section in Gujarat
**Summary:**
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), through the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), has taken action following reports of distressed pavement conditions on a section of the Amritsar-Jamnagar Economic Corridor (NH754K) in Gujarat. Specifically, the affected area is a 6-lane stretch between Sanchore and Santalpur (Pkg 4, Kilana to Santalpur), part of the 130 km corridor within Gujarat. The distressed pavement, totaling 1.35 km (3-lane on LHS in 10 patches) and 1.36 km (3-lane on RHS in 05 patches), exhibits failure in the Aggregate Inter Layer (AIL), Cement Treated Base (CTB), and drainage.
As a result, NHAI has suspended the contractor, Ms. CDS Infra Projects Limited, and debarred them from participating in current and future bids. A Show Cause Notice has been issued for debarment and a monetary penalty of Rs. 2.8 Cr. The Authority Engineer, Ms. SA Infra (in association with Ms. Upham), has also been debarred from ongoing and future bids, with a Show Cause Notice issued for debarment. The NHAI Project Director for Palanpur has been suspended.
Expert committees comprising professors from IIT-BHU, IIT-Delhi, and IIT-Gandhinagar have been formed to investigate the pavement failure. These committees are conducting site visits, collecting samples for testing, and will recommend remedial measures. The contractor, Ms. CDS Infra Projects Limited, is undertaking rectification work at their own cost. The project operates under an Engineering Procurement Construction (EPC) model, and a Completion Certificate has not yet been issued. The press release ID is 2141845.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Road Transport Highways: The Indian government ministry responsible for the development and maintenance of the national highways network.
NHAI: National Highways Authority of India, the agency responsible for managing the National Highways in India.
Amritsar-Jamnagar Economic Corridor: A 6-lane economic corridor, specifically the Sanchore Santalpur Section of Amritsar Jamnagar Economic Corridor NH754K in Gujarat Pkg4.
Gujarat: A state in India where a section of the Amritsar-Jamnagar Economic Corridor experienced pavement distress.
Ms CDS Infra Projects Limited: The contractor responsible for the construction of the Kilana to Santalpur section (Pkg4) of the Amritsar-Jamnagar Economic Corridor in Gujarat, and is now debarred from future bids.
Ms SA Infra: Authority's Engineer in association with Ms. Upham, also debarred from participating in future bids.
Palanpur: Location of NHAI Project Director who has been suspended
IITBHU, IITDelhi, IIT Gandhinagar: Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) whose professors have been assembled into Expert Committees to investigate the pavement failure.
Ministry of Road Transport & Highways
NHAI suspends contractor, authority engineer and
NHAI official for distressed condition of pavement at
some locations on Amritsar-Jamnagar corridor
section in Gujarat
Posted On: 03 JUL 2025 5:24PM by PIB Delhi
An incident of distressed condition of Pavement Crust at some locations of 6–lane Sanchore– Santalpur
Section of Amritsar – Jamnagar Economic Corridor (NH–754K) in Gujarat (Pkg-4 from Kilana to Santalpur)
constructed by M/s CDS Infra Projects Limited (Contractor) was reported.
Total Length of Amritsar – Jamnagar Economic Corridor in Gujarat is 130 km (6-lane) and length of
distressed pavement crust is in 1.35 km (3-lane) on LHS in 10 patches and 1.36 km (3-lane) on RHS in 05
patches.
The instant failure of pavement crust has been caused due to defects in Aggregate Inter Layer (AIL), Cement
Treated Base (CTB) and poor drainage. The project is on Engineering Procurement & Construction (EPC)
Mode and Completion Certificate is yet to be issued to the Contractor. Contractor will rectify the defects
at his own risk & cost.
M/s CDS Infra Projects Limited has been debarred on immediate basis from participating in ongoing/ future
bids for failure of the pavement crust. Show Cause Notice for debarment and levy of monetary penalty of
Rs.2.8 Cr. has also been issued.
Authority’s Engineer (M/s SA Infra in association with M/s Upham) has also been debarred on immediate
basis from participating in ongoing/ future bids and Show Cause Notice for debarment has been issued. NHAI
Project Director, Palanpur has been placed on suspension.
Expert Committees with Retd. and current Prof. of IIT-BHU, IIT-Delhi, IIT- Gandhinagar have been
constituted for analysing the failure of Pavement Crust. Expert Committees are visiting the site, collecting
samples to undertake tests and recommend detailed remedial measures to be taken. Contractor has already
started the rectification work.
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SR/GDH/SJ
(Release ID: 2141845)