Highway Authority Debars Consultant For Deficient Services In National Project

In a bid to deal with lapses in the development of national highways, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) debarred M/s Lion Engineering Consultants in association with Synergy Engineering Group Private Limited from engagement in any of the future national highway projects for a period of six months. According to a statement shared by NHAI on Wednesday, June 9, the company was engaged for consultancy services of authority engineer for the supervision of four-laning of Barhi-Hazaribagh section in Jharkhand. (Also Read: 'Network Survey Vehicle' Mandatory For Ensuring Road Quality: All You Need To Know )

The consultant failed to perform the assigned duties while delivering services for the project as well as executing the provisions made in the contract agreement. In this regard, a show-cause notice was issued to the company on account of deficiencies in the cnsultancy services. According to NHAI, some of the major deficiencies in the consultancy services of the project are as follows:

• Lapses in the quality control of the project
• Deficiency in carrying out the monthly inspection
• Hiding information from NHAI in regard to faulty pavement design resulting in inadequate pavement thickness
• Deficiencies in the issuance of the non-conformity reports and follow-up action
• Gross laxity and negligence in supervision of work with respect to the structures and quality of the project.

Earlier, Theme Engineering Services Private Limited was also debarred by the National Highway Authority of India for a period of six months for the poor quality of work and the same decision was upheld by the high court.

Meanwhile, the national highway authority launched a quality checking drive where all the projects are being checked by special teams of experts sent from the headquarters.  The expert teams are also checking the performance of the consultants who are supposed to monitor the construction quality.