Union Minister Nitin Gadkari (file photo)
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Independent third-party quality audits are being conducted on national highway projects on a case-to-case basis, including before the completion of construction, while strict action is being taken against defaulting contractors, consultants and officials for quality lapses, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari informed the Parliament.In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, Gadkari said action against erring agencies includes termination of contracts, levy of penalties and liquidated damages, debarment, blacklisting and declaring them as non-performers. Besides, 11 officers have been removed from service, while disciplinary proceedings have been initiated against another 11 officials for negligence and dereliction of duty.The reply came in response to a question seeking details of recurring collapses, caving-in and structural failures of newly constructed bridges, flyovers and national highway projects across the country, including recent incidents on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, and whether the government proposes to mandate independent third-party structural audits before inauguration and establish a national accountability framework.According to the minister, State and Union Territory-wise details of such incidents during 2025 and the current year have been compiled, and action has been taken against defaulting contractors, concessionaires, and consultants in accordance with the provisions of the respective contracts or concession agreements wherever deficiencies or damages have been identified.He said the government is making all efforts to ensure national highways are constructed in accordance with quality standards prescribed under the Indian Roads Congress (IRC) specifications and codes.Accordingly, authorities' engineers and independent engineers are appointed by the executing agencies to supervise construction activities on a day-to-day basis, while officials of the executing agencies undertake periodic inspections to verify compliance with prescribed quality standards.Furthermore, the minister said independent third-party quality auditors are deployed on a case-by-case basis during various stages of project implementation, including before completion of construction, to verify conformity with prescribed quality standards.Any deficiencies identified during such audits or inspections are brought to the notice of concessionaires and contractors for necessary corrective action, Gadkari addedPublished on July 29, 2026
