UPSC-Relevant News Items

1. 4 years of delay on 87-km stretch derails Rs 1 lakh crore Delhi-Mumbai Expressway.

Page: 1

Summary:

• • The Rs 1.04 lakh crore Delhi-Mumbai Expressway is facing a four-year delay due to extremely slow progress on a critical 87 km stretch across three packages in Gujarat.
• • The contractor, Roadway Solutions India Infra Ltd (RSIIL), has completed less than 20% of the work, leading to the contract being scrapped in March 2023 and then re-awarded to the same firm months later.
• • The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is considering contract termination due to non-performance and contractual disputes, while the firm alleges delays due to non-provision of land.

Additional Facts:

• • The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) implements the NHAI Act, 1988, which empowers the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) as the nodal agency for development and management of National Highways through contractual mechanisms like EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction).
• • NHAI manages performance risks and contractual adherence in major projects, utilizing standard bidding documents and procedures for contract termination or re-awarding (as per Ministry guidelines) to ensure timely infrastructure delivery.

Linkage with UPSC course:

• • GS Mains (GS-3):
• • • Infrastructure: Roadways
• • • Project Management and Implementation Challenges

---