**Executive Summary**
This document is the response from the Minister of Road Transport and Highways to Unstarred Question No. 855 in the Lok Sabha, answered on December 4, 2025, regarding the Paithan-Pandharpur section of National Highway (NH)-752E/561A. The response addresses concerns about construction quality, misuse of provisions in construction contracts, investigation into these issues, and compensation for accident victims. The balance work is scheduled to be completed by 15.02.2026.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Construction Quality and Cracks:**
* Construction of the Paithan-Pandharpur section (Bodhegaon to Dighol) was divided into two packages: Paithan to Shirur (55.94 km) and Shirur to Kharda (54.11 km).
* Construction followed Indian Roads Congress (IRC) standards.
* Cracks were observed in approximately 540 concrete panels out of 48,908. The contractor was instructed to repair/replace them. 376 panels have been repaired/replaced, and work on the remaining 164 is underway.
* No fatalities have been reported as a result of the cracks.
* **Contractual Issues and Time Extension:**
* "Change in scope" and "additional items" incurred costs of Rs. 11.36 crores (Paithan to Shirur) and Rs. 4.56 crores (Shirur to Kharda).
* These changes included additional culverts, different culvert types, four-laning, and a change from concrete to bituminous pavement in forest stretches.
* 4.44 km of Shirur to Kharda section overlapping with NH-548D was 'de-scoped'.
* A time extension was granted until 31.03.2022 due to right-of-way disputes, land acquisition delays, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Escalation has been frozen beyond this date.
* No undue benefits were given to contractors.
* Work is held up on the balance stretches due to disputes on existing NH RoW.
* Work in 48.61 km out of 55.94 km length of Paithan to Shirur section and 48 km out of 54.11 km length in Shirur to Kharda section have been completed.
* **Quality Audit and Accident Compensation:**
* IIT Bombay has been entrusted with the quality audit of the project.
* The government issued a notification on February 25, 2022, mandating the Electronic Detailed Accident Report (eDAR) for accident investigations, with defined timelines for stakeholders and faster settlement of claims by the Motor Accident Claim Tribunal (MACT).
**Impact Analysis**
**Contractors**
* **Impact**: Contractors are responsible for repairing cracked panels, completing construction within the extended timeline, and adhering to contract agreements without undue benefits.
* **Action Required**: Contractors need to repair/replace cracked panels, complete the project by the revised deadline, and adhere to the terms of their contracts.
**Road Users/Citizens**
* **Impact**: Road users are affected by construction delays, potential accidents due to road conditions, and the compensation policy for accident victims.
* **Action Required**: Road users should be aware of potential construction delays and follow safety guidelines. Families of accident victims should be aware of the eDAR process and MACT for faster claim settlements.
**Ministry of Road Transport and Highways**
* **Impact**: The Ministry is responsible for ensuring the quality of construction, investigating contractual issues, and addressing compensation for accident victims.
* **Action Required**: The Ministry will take action based on the report of IIT Bombay. They must also implement and monitor the eDAR system and the MACT claim settlement process.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways: The primary ministry responsible for the National Highway project and addressing the issues raised in the question.
National Highway NH-752E/561A: The specific highway section (Paithan–Pandharpur) that is the subject of the parliamentary question regarding construction quality and accident compensation.
Beed district, Maharashtra: Location where the road construction issues have been identified.
Indian Roads Congress (IRC): Standards and guidelines followed for the construction quality of the National Highway.
Electronic Detailed Accident Report (eDAR): Procedure mandated by the Government for detailed investigation of road accidents and faster settlements of claims.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 855
ANSWERED ON 4TH DECEMBER, 2025
PAITHAN-PANDHARPUR SECTION OF NH
†855. SHRI BAJRANG MANOHAR SONWANE:
Will the MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार्ग मंत्री
be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Ministry is aware that the original earthwork and
concrete work on the Bodhegaon–Dighol road in Beed district,
Maharashtra, in the Paithan–Pandharpur section of National Highway
NH‑752E/561A have been carried out contrary to Ministry of Road
Transport and Highways standards leading to serious cracks, frequent
accidents and the death of numerous citizens, if so, the details
thereof;
(b) whether contractors have been illegally benefited by the misuse of
provisions such as “change in scope”, “additional items”, “disscope”
and “time overrun” in the related construction works and public funds
have been misused with the connivance of executive officials;
(c) if so, whether the Ministry is considering to constitute an
independent high‑level inquiry committee in this regard; and
(d) whether the Government proposes to formulate a concrete policy
to provide compensation to the families of accident victims on this
road, if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
(SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)(a) The construction of Paithan–Pandharpur section of National
Highway (NH)–752E/561A particularly from Bodhegaon to Dighol (Beed
district, Maharashtra) has been taken up in two packages i.e. Paithan
to Shirur having length of 55.94 km and Shirur to Kharda having length
of 54.11 km. The construction works on this NH stretch have been
carried out as per the quality standards & design specified by Indian
Roads Congress (IRC). However, cracks have been observed in about
540 number of concrete panels out of 48,908 number of concrete
panels and the contractor has been directed to replace/repair these
cracked panels. Of these, 376 panels have already been
replaced/repaired, and rectification on the remaining 164 panels is
currently underway. However, no fatalities have been reported on
account of above cracked panels.
(b) The „change in scope‟ and „additional items‟ have been executed
for an amount of Rs. 11.36 crores in Paithan to Shirur section against
the total awarded civil cost of Rs.242.82 crore and Rs. 4.56 crores
against a total awarded civil cost of 245.12 crores in Shirur to Kharda
involving additional culverts, change in type of culverts from hume
pipe culverts to concrete box culverts, four-laning in Patoda built-up
section and bituminous pavement instead of concrete pavement in
forest stretches have been undertaken as per the site conditions in
accordance with provisions of the Contract Agreement. Additionally,
4.44 km length of Shirur to Kharda section overlapping with already
sanctioned Chumbali to Manjarsunbha section of NH-548D has been
„de-scoped‟ in this project.
Further, „time extension‟ has been granted upto 31.03.2022, on
account of disputes on existing NH Right of Way (RoW), delays in
acquisition of additional land and COVID-19 pandemic, and for the
period beyond this, escalation has been frozen. No undue benefits
have been given to the contractors against the provisions of contract
agreement. As on date, work in 48.61 km out of 55.94 km length of
Paithan to Shirur section and 48 km out of 54.11 km length in Shirur to
Kharda section have been completed. In balance stretches in both the
sections, work is held up due to disputes on existing NH RoW. The
balance work, to the extant feasible, is scheduled to be completed by
15.02.2026.(c) The quality audit of the project has been entrusted to IIT
Bombay. Action would be taken as per the report of IIT Bombay.
(d) As regards to compensation to road accident victims,
Government has issued notification dated 25th February, 2022
mandating the procedure for detailed investigation of road accidents,
the Electronic Detailed Accident Report (eDAR) and its reporting,
along with timelines for different stakeholders and for faster
settlements of claims by the Motor Accident Claim Tribunal (MACT).
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