Executive Summary:
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) addressed a question in Lok Sabha regarding the dilapidated condition of National Highways (NHs). Contractors and concessionaires are responsible for the design, development, and maintenance, including defect rectification. The government has implemented various initiatives for quality control and addresses complaints through multiple channels, taking action against defaulting agencies as per contract agreements.
Key Points / Main Content:
Responsibilities and Standards:
* Contractors/Concessionaires are responsible for design, development, maintenance, and defect rectification of NHs during the Defect Liability Period (DLP) and Concession Period.
* NH construction must adhere to quality standards specified in Indian Roads Congress (IRC) specifications and codes.
* Consultants (Authority's Engineer/Independent Engineers) are appointed for day-to-day supervision.
* Executing agencies conduct inspections to ensure adherence to quality standards.
Quality Control Initiatives:
* Adoption of Automated Intelligent Machine-aided Construction (AIMC).
* Road condition assessments via Network Survey Vehicle (NSV) every six months, with a revamped NSV system using analytics.
* NHAI One App for Monitoring enables geotagging of defects for rectification.
* Drone Analytics Monitoring System (DAMS) uses high-resolution imagery and AI/ML for progress and quality evaluation.
* Mobile Quality Control Vans (MQCVs) with Non-Destructive Testing Equipment are deployed in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Odisha, and Karnataka on a pilot basis.
* Third-Party Quality Auditors conduct independent quality audits.
Complaint Handling and Corrective Actions:
* MoRTH receives complaints through Public Grievance Portal, social media, and other sources.
* The government reviews and monitors NH projects, ensuring corrective actions by contractors/concessionaires.
* Actions against defaulting agencies include contract termination, penalties, liquidated damages, debarment, blacklisting, and declaring as non-performers.
* 81 complaints regarding major deficiencies in NH works were received in the last five years (including 2024-25 and the current financial year), excluding those from social media or the Public Grievance Portal.
* Remedial works are in progress, and penal actions have been initiated where applicable.
Impact Analysis:
Contractors/Concessionaires:
* Impact: Held accountable for maintaining NH quality and rectifying defects within specified periods. Subject to penalties for non-compliance.
* Action Required: Adhere to quality standards, promptly address defects, and comply with corrective actions requested by executing agencies.
Executing Agencies (including Authority's Engineer/Independent Engineers):
* Impact: Responsible for supervising construction, conducting inspections, and ensuring adherence to quality standards.
* Action Required: Conduct regular inspections, enforce quality standards, and report deficiencies to contractors/concessionaires.
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH):
* Impact: Responsible for overseeing NH quality, handling complaints, and taking action against defaulting agencies.
* Action Required: Monitor NH projects, address complaints, and enforce contractual provisions.
General Public/Road Users:
* Impact: Affected by the quality and condition of National Highways; can report issues and expect resolution.
* Action Required: Utilize available channels (Public Grievance Portal, social media, etc.) to report issues related to NH quality and condition.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways: The Indian government ministry responsible for the development and maintenance of national highways and transport infrastructure.
National Highways: The network of highways in India maintained by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI: The Minister of Road Transport and Highways.
Indian Roads Congress: A premier technical organization in the country dealing with road construction and maintenance.
NHAI One App: A centralized system developed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for monitoring and rectification of highway defects through geotagging and photographic evidence.
Gujarat: A state in India where Mobile Quality Control Vans were deployed on a pilot basis.
Rajasthan: A state in India where Mobile Quality Control Vans were deployed on a pilot basis.
Karnataka: A state in India where Mobile Quality Control Vans were deployed on a pilot basis.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. *167
ANSWERED ON 31st JULY, 2025
DILAPIDATED CONDITION OF NATIONAL HIGHWAYS
*167. SHRI SACHITHANANTHAM R:
Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार्ग मंत्री
be pleased to state:
(a) the measures being taken by the Government to address the
dilapidated condition of the newly constructed National Highways and
the timeline set for their repair; and
(b) the number of complaints received so far during the financial year
2024-25 in this regard?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
(SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)
(a) and (b) A statement is laid on the Table of the House.STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) and (b) OF LOK
SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 167 ANSWERED ON 31.07.2025
ASKED BY SHRI SACHITHANANTHAM R REGARDING DILAPIDATED
CONDITION OF NATIONAL HIGHWAYS
(a) and (b) Contractors / Concessionaires are responsible for design,
development and maintenance of National Highways (NHs) projects
including rectification of defects during Defect Liability Period (DLP) /
Concession Period after completion of the work implemented on either
Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) mode or on Build,
Operate & Transfer (BOT) mode or on Hybrid Annuity mode (HAM) as
per provisions of relevant Standard Contract/ Concession Agreements.
All efforts are made to ensure that the NHs are constructed as
per stipulated quality standards specified in the Indian Roads
Congress (IRC) specifications and codes. To ensure that highway
construction adheres to stipulated quality standards, Consultants
(Authority’s Engineer/ Independent Engineers- AE/IE) are appointed by
the executing agencies for day-to-day supervision of works at site.
Officials of executing agencies undertake inspections from time to
time and ensure adherence of conformity of quality of the work done
by the Concessionaire/ Contractors with stipulated requirements.
Deficiencies observed, if any, are brought to the notice of the
Concessionaires/ Contractors for taking up necessary corrective/
remedial actions as stipulated in technical schedules of the Contract/
Concession Agreement or within a reasonable period as decided by
the executing agency / AE/ IE.
The Government has taken the following initiatives for
improvement of quality control systems in implementation of NHs
works: -
i. Adoption of Automated & Intelligent /Machine-aided Construction
(AI-MC) in NH projects;
ii. Assessments of road conditions through Network Survey Vehicle
(NSV) at the time of completion and every six months thereafter
on an electronic platform; further revamping of NSV system forroad condition assessment using analytics and enforcement of
contractual provisions during Operation and Maintenance (O&M)
through dedicated central cell;
iii. Operationalization of a centralized system called NHAI One App
for Monitoring and rectification of highway defects which
enables geo-tagging of defects along with photographs;
iv. Analysis of High-Resolution Imagery collected from Drone
Surveys in Drone Analytics Monitoring System (DAMS) integrated
with Artificial Intelligence/ Machine Learning algorithms for
periodic evaluation of progress and quality of ongoing NHs works
from time to time;
v. Deployment of Mobile Quality Control Vans (MQCVs) equipped
with Non-Destructive Testing Equipment on pilot basis in four
States, namely in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Odisha and Karnataka, for
diagnostic assessments of overall health and quality of works
from time to time during project implementation phases;
vi. Deployment of Third Party Quality Auditors for independent
quality audits of NH works on a case-to-case basis.
The Government through the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways
(MoRT&H) has established system of receiving complaints through
Public Grievance Portal, various Social Media Platforms apart from
complaints received from other sources including from Public
Representatives, etc., about various issues concerning National
Highways including issues related to quality of construction. The
Government takes cognizance of these complaints also apart from
regular review and monitoring of NHs projects towards ensuring that
necessary corrective actions are taken up by the Concessionaires /
Contractors for the NHs projects.
Actions against defaulting agencies are taken as per the
provisions of the Contract/ Concession agreement in case of any
defaults, such as termination of contract agreement, levying of
penalties/ liquidated damages, debarment/ blacklisting, declaring as
non-performers etc.As per the information provided by the executing agencies of MoRT&H,
81 Nos. of complaints regarding major deficiencies/ damages in NH
works have been received/ found during the last five years (including
2024-25) and current Financial Year (excluding complaints received
through various social media platforms/ public grievance portal).
Necessary remedial works taken up for rectification of these
deficiencies/ damages are at various stages of progress. Penal actions
have been initiated against the Contractor/ Concessionaire / AE/IE, etc.
as per relevant contractual provisions, wherever applicable.
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